First Impressions
by Dr. Becky Sharp
Summary: A modern re-telling of the classic romance between Beth Bennet and Mr. Darcy that would make Christian Grey proud. "It's a truth universally acknowledged that a single woman approaching the age of thirty, with a good education and promising career, must be in desperate need of a husband."
1. Chapter 1

**NOTE: A newer version of this story that has been updated and edited is for sale on Amazon ( Search Amazon for: B01LVWZB56 ... only $4 or FREE for KU subscribers), if you would prefer to read it there. If not - Enjoy!**

Chapter One

It's a truth universally acknowledged that a single woman approaching the age of thirty, with a good education and promising career, must be in desperate need of a husband.

Well, at least that's what society ( _and her mother_ ) kept telling her. So what if she is turning 30 this year? Between college, getting her masters, and working relentlessly to be one of the top publicists at the Gardiner Group, who had time to spend on dating? She thought it was one of the biggest ironies of today, with all the focus on women's empowerment, workplace equality, equal pay, and all the rest of those popular buzz words, that it still only took an average of four minutes of meeting a new person for them to ask her if she was married or had any kids; her profession accomplishments sidelined by the curiosity about her personal life.

Beth Bennet wasn't usually so preoccupied with the idea of marriage or the need to find a husband, but mentally preparing herself to visit her mother generally precipitated this train of thought. This internal debate and defense built as she got in the black car Uber she had called to take her to her parents house on the Upper East Side.

It wasn't that she didn't love her mother, but Irene Bennet had very specific goals and interests in her life, and having all five of her daughters married well was on the top of the list. Let's face it, it pretty much was the list. However tonight, a _'serious family matter'_ is what her mom was focused on. She had left Beth a voicemail earlier asking if she would be able to stop over after dinner to discuss this 'serious matter'. Now most things were 'serious matters' to Mrs. Bennet but when they were 'serious' enough to warrant a post-dinner personal visit, Beth knew it was either one of two topics - some sort of gossip going around at her father's law firm _or_ her mother had set her up on yet another blind date with the newest marriageable associate or junior partner. Cringing at that thought, she fished through her purse for her phone deciding to call Jane and see if she had any idea what was going on.

Jane was her older sister and is your textbook first-born child. She was kind, generous, patient, modest - and all those other ideal traits that most women can only falsely claim to have; Jane truly possessed them all. She was, by far, the most beautiful of the five Bennet sisters. She excelled at everything that she did and believed the best of everyone; whether that last was a blessing or a curse Beth still was undecided. She was also paralegal at Longbourne Associates, her father's law firm that had been in the family for 3 generations. Since she worked directly with their father, Jane usually had better insight into what their mother was preoccupied with.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Hey I'm on my way over to mom and dad's now. Were you invited over too and do you know what this 'serious family matter' is that mom is talking about?" asked Beth.

"I'm not sure. I was out of the office most of the day on errands but I know dad was in a meeting this morning with lawyers from a Boston firm that's not related to any case that I'm aware of. I'm almost to their place now so I guess we'll find out."

"Ok, I'll be there in two. Text me if mom is trying to set one of us up again and I'll make up some emergency to get you out of the house," she half-heartedly joked, dreading the very distinct possibility of it being true. Jane laughed as Beth hung up the phone.

As the Uber pulled up to her parents house Beth thought that this was decidedly _not_ how she had planned on spending her Friday night but it was better to address whatever drama was unfolding than to let it fester until her mother did something drastic about it. She got out of the car and stood on the sidewalk for minute to collect herself. Her parent's large brownstone was on 71st street, right off of Park Avenue, a pretty typical living situation for the managing partner of a respectable law firm. The house had been in her family for as long as she could remember but the apartment that she and Jane shared in Tribeca always seemed like more of a home to her. With a deep breath, Beth steeled her nerves and climbed the steps to the front door.

Her parent's home was extremely well-furnished. Collecting art and decor over the several generations that had inhabited it. Her mother had changed a lot though, remodeling several of the rooms in the old Victorian style that she felt was an essential indicator of old wealth and status. As expected, she barely made it through the doorway before she heard her mother's heels clicking frantically on the marble floor announcing her approach moment before she came rushing into the hall.

"Beth! Thank goodness you are here. Jane just got here and Mary, Kat, Lydia, and I have been waiting. Your father has some news he says he wants to talk to us all about. Everyone is in the den waiting for you; I'd offer you coffee but we've waited so long as it is," said Mrs. Bennet agitatedly.

While a kind and loving mother, Irene Bennet was a force to be reckoned with when it came to information acquisition and propagation, more commonly referred to as gossiping. Beth never remembered her mother having a job and with not much else productive to do with her time or occupy her thoughts, Irene tended to get caught up in the social drama and intricacies of her family and her husband's firm. She did yoga every day and while she had been very beautiful when she was younger, she relied on some minor plastic surgery over the years to reverse the effects of aging. The past few years had put a particular strain on Beth's relationship with her mother due to her lack of interest in dating or marriage, which Irene considered to be one's major accomplishment in life. Since Jane and Beth had moved out though, things between them had calmed down somewhat; she had a feeling that her father might have intervened on her behalf. It was either that or her mom had decided to concentrate all her efforts on Jane who, while also still unmarried, was a more complacent personality for her mother's schemes.

As much as Beth loved her family, she only got along with Jane and her father really well, mostly because they were the most easy-going and never pressured her into doing things that she didn't want to do; they were the most supportive of her career and personal choices and genuinely cared about what her goals were for her life. Her mother and her two youngest sisters, Lydia and Katherine (or Kat), on the other hand, loved drama and gossip far too much for Beth to enjoy their company for any prolonged period of time. It's ironic that she is in the PR world, surrounded by gossip, but her job there was to set the record straight whereas her mom and siblings thrived on news with little concern to the validity of the stories they propagated. Her other younger sister, Mary, was the middle child and on the autistic spectrum; She was very smart but also very solitary and socially awkward. Her disability made her very anxious and stressed around other people, especially those she didn't know so she preferred to stay at home and read, clean, and cook.

Sure enough, her father and four sisters were all in the den chatting as Beth and her mother walked in. As you entered the room, the large gas fireplace that was lit sat straight ahead, on either side of which were two huge bookcases, mostly filled with compilations of case precedents that her father would reference from time to time; The den also served as a mini law library and home office for her father. Facing the fireplace was a love seat, where her father and Jane were sitting, discussing a recent case that was in the news. Opposite them, Mary was curled up in a chair intently reading the new 'Hamilton' biography. On Beth's immediate left sat their baby grand piano, where Lydia was seated on the bench talking to Kat, who had pulled up a chair next to her, deciding whose party to go to this weekend. They were both home from college on summer break; Lydia was a junior and Kat had just finished freshman year at NYU.

"John, Beth is here. Can you please tell us what this is all about?" asked Mrs. Bennet exasperatedly.

Mr. John Bennet rose from where he had been sitting by Jane on the couch and came over to give Beth a hug, which she returned with enthusiasm. If there was one thing she missed about living at home it was seeing her dad every day. They would spend almost every night drinking tea in that very same room either talking about life or reading quietly, just enjoying each other's company. Beth regretted not stopping by more to see him but she honestly just never wanted to deal with her mother's persistent interrogations about the men who were (or weren't) in her life. Of all his daughters, Beth knew she was the most headstrong and determined and she always felt that her dad, maybe not loved her more than her sisters, but admired her just a little bit more for it.

"Hi sweetheart. I hope your mom didn't have you thinking the world was ending when she called you to come over tonight."

Beth laughed as she responded, "Well, she wouldn't be mom if she didn't."

"Well there's nothing to worry about but I guess I should get on with it before she has a heart attack," Mr. Bennet continued as he turned to face the rest of his family. "Well, I've been talking to your mother about this for some time now but I've finally made the decision that I want to retire and sell the firm. I know that she made tonight into a bigger deal than it should have been but I wanted to tell you all in person so we could move forward as a family."

"John! How could you not tell me that's what you wanted to discuss?! Who are you going to sell the firm to? Are you going to sell it to Bill Collins? Did he approach you about it already? I always knew he was just waiting for you to give the slightest hint of retiring so he could swoop in and take everything. And what about Jane? What is she going to do? Is he going to let her stay on? Who is she going to work for?" Mrs. Bennet bombarded her husband with question after question without a moment for him to answer or her to breathe.

"Irene, please. If you would just let me finish —"

"You're right. I'm sorry, I'm just very concerned about our Jane because she is _your_ paralegal, and when you are gone what is she going to do? How—" Mrs. Bennet started to pick up her last train of thought when Jane interrupted.

"Mom, can you just let dad finish please? I'm sure I will be fine with whatever happens. I'm 31 years old, I'm capable of finding another job at another firm," Jane interjected.

"Of course you are, Jane. Thank you. Now what I was trying to say is that I think it's time for me to transition into retirement and look at selling the firm. I'm well aware that Bill has been trying to weasel his way into managing partner for some time now but I'm not confident in his abilities to effectively direct the firm. Which is why I've been looking into an outside purchaser or merger with an outside firm," continued Mr. Bennet.

Bill Collins had been a senior partner at their firm for over 10 years and was a distant relation to her father. He was initially given an associate position in the firm as a personal favor to a family member but had worked his way up to senior partner on his own merit. Superficially, Bill was a nice person and a decent lawyer, but he had very strict and uncompromising personal and religious beliefs that got him into trouble with co-workers as well as clients. After his promotion to senior partner, it became clear that his ambition was to take over the firm as managing partner when her father retired. He assumed he had an inherent advantage, being related to Mr. Bennet, and knowing that the firm had stayed in the Bennet family for four generations; that assumption was further fueled when it became clear that none of John Bennet's daughters had an interest in becoming a lawyer or owning the law firm. Initially, Mr. Bennet had entertained that idea as well however, once Bill was put in that senior position of authority, it became clear to that his leadership skills were not where they needed to be in order to run the firm successfully. He could follow directions but he didn't know how to navigate the ship and his awkward personality didn't garner much respect or trust from his fellow employees. Unfortunately, Bill was blind to his deficits and had turned down her father's multiple attempts to evolve his leadership skills by inviting him to personal growth seminars by the likes of Tony Robbins and John Maxwell. At one time, his persistent refusal had deeply frustrated her father because he had had high hopes for him; but quickly realizing that his efforts were fruitless, Mr. Bennet admitted long ago that he could never hand over the firm to him in good conscience. He had tried to bring down Bill's hopes of this gently over the years, but at that time, with no immediate plans to retire, he felt it was pointless to tell him bluntly that he would never own the firm. Maybe her father had hopes that Bill would change, or maybe, like Jane, he just disliked confrontation and so put off what was bound to be a difficult conversation.

"Well, Bill is not going to be happy about that. Have you contacted any —-" inserted Mrs. Bennet.

"Yes, my dear. I was just getting there. Unfortunately, Bill is out of the country on vacation until the end of the month, right before the Charity Ball, so we will have to proceed without informing him until he's back. I'm not going to call with what I know will ruin his holiday. In the meantime, I've been in contact with a few firms for some time now and I've narrowed it down to a buyer who is extremely interested. Now, they are a very large firm out of Boston and are looking to expand into New York City."

"From Boston? Wouldn't it be nice if Bingley & Associates wanted to buy our firm? Did you meet with these people yet? Did they come down from Boston?"

"Please, Irene. If you would let me finish the thought, you would hear me say that it actually is Bingley who is interested in our firm. New York is going to be his son, Charles', domain and they are looking to purchase a respectably sized firm that they can grow as they become more familiar with the territory."

With this statement, Mrs. Bennet was beside herself with excitement. In the law world, Bingley & Associates was one of the most well-known firms on the East Coast who hired only Harvard graduates. Charles Bingley, the son, had made a name for himself right out of school defending some very high profile athletes and politicians against fictitious claims. Beth knew, however, that this wasn't the main reason for her mother's excitement. Charles was also very well known as being one of the most eligible, elite bachelors. As a publicist, it was part of her job to monitor the tabloids so she knew it was a big story a few months ago that the show, _the Bachelor_ , had tried to recruit Charles for their next season but that he had graciously refused claiming he wanted to focus on some big changes in his law career. While he hadn't elaborated on what the 'big changes' were, her father's information shed some light on what he was alluding to.

"Well what did he say?! Did you meet him? What do you think of him? Is he single? Would he be interested in Jane? Did Jane meet him?" Mrs. Bennet prattled on, again, not bothering to wait for an answer.

"I just met with Bingley this morning. He came with a close friend of his from Harvard, an investment banker, who is going to evaluate the details on his end and make sure that we are as good of a company as we say. Overall, I was very impressed with Charles and I believe he will take the firm in the right direction. He was very amiable, much more so than his friend that he brought along. He tried to be very open about what they are looking to do and what his goals are. He was adamant that I knew everyone would be taken care of, that everyone at the firm would maintain their current status, a very generous concession to be included in the contract. He wanted to go into specifics but his advisor wouldn't let him to offer up too much information until they learn a little bit more about the firm. If all goes well, I would like to make the announcement to everyone at the firm next month at the Charity Ball."

"I think Jane should meet him. When are you seeing him again? We should have him over for dinner. Or what about inviting him to the firm's Summer Charity Ball? Oo! Is he going to be at the New York Bar Association Gala tomorrow night? That would be perfect! He must meet Jane immediately," insisted Mrs. Bennet.

"Mom, you need to stop forcing every eligible bachelor on Jane. She's —" Beth was cut off as Jane gently elbowed her.

"Don't worry about it Beth. It's fine. You know she won't stop anyway no matte what you say." Jane tried to placate her.

By this point, the three youngest siblings had all tuned out of the conversation and migrated into the kitchen for a snack. With the _serious family matter_ finally addressed, Beth decided it was time for her and Jane to head home before their mother's matchmaking plans spiraled out of control - for Jane's sake.

Mr. Bennet reassured his wife that he was seeing Charles again in the next day or two when he stopped by to pick up some paperwork and would invite him for dinner and to the firm's Charity Ball next month. Only moderately appeased, but still fueled by her excitement over the business and personal prospects of such a relationship, Mrs. Bennet let her oldest daughters leave for the night without too much fuss.

"How can you stand it when all mom wants to do it set you up with some random person? You're only thirty-one. You have a great career and tons of time to find someone. It's not like it's the 19th century anymore, women have careers and lives and goals that extend beyond marriage." Beth couldn't resist broaching the subject one more time as they got out of the Uber that brought them home.

"It's just how she is Beth. For her, marriage is the most important part of her life and that's how she sees the world. I try not to blame her. I know it's frustrating but I'm not like you, I want a husband and a family. I'm ok on my own but I want to meet people and try to find my soulmate. It just hasn't worked out for me so far and, as crazy as she is, I don't mind when she tries to set me up with someone because it's one more opportunity to fulfill that portion of my life," Jane tried to explain to a disbelieving Beth. She always defended their mother, no matter how hard she pushed or how deficient she made either of them feel for still being single.

"I know. She's just so pushy about it. I don't even want to think about what's going to happen when you do find someone and all of her energy is focused on me."

"Haha! You will be ok. Just think, maybe by that time you'll have found someone too!"

"Yeah, right. I have no time, Jane, to even think about that. Everything is going so well at work. I didn't even get a chance to tell you, Phil was just approached by Mrs. DeBourgh this week, of the DeBourgh Diamonds, because she needs a new publicist and I think he's going to put me on their account. It's going to be huge for my portfolio if everything works out."

"Oh my gosh, congratulations, B! That's going to be awesome for you." Jane gave her sister a quick hug.

"So, if we land DeBourgh, there's no way I can focus on dating in the near future; this account would be too important to my future. Not to mention I just can't seem to come across a man who truly appreciates a woman with ambition and intelligence and who wants to not just support that but, more importantly, push me to be better. Especially all the men mom tries to set me up with - they are all too rich to want a wife who enjoys working for her success."

As they got ready for bed, Jane tried to reassure her that it's New York City, there is at least one male who will appreciate her personality. Beth knew though that it was pointless to insist any further; Jane had the tendency to believe the best in everyone and every situation and Beth loved her and hated her for it. It's not that Beth didn't want to get married and have a family, she was just too proud of her accomplishments to diminish them in order to secure a husband. For Jane's sake though, she went to bed hoping that their mom was right this time and that there would be a partnership with Bingley in more ways than one.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

A call, voicemail, and text message the following morning informed the sisters that Charles Bingley would be at the Bar Association Gala that evening. Even though they weren't lawyers, Mr. Bennet invited them to the gala every year as his personal guests. Now that she was older, Beth had a feeling their mother had a little something to do with their yearly invitation; there was always a high concentration of single, wealthy lawyers attending that their mother made sure didn't go unnoticed. All other intentions aside, the Gala was a good party. Jane fit in a little more amongst that crowd since she worked in the law field, but Beth enjoyed it nonetheless since some of the attendees were Gardiner clients or represented Gardiner clients and she used the opportunity to foster valuable professional connections. Also, one of her best friends, Char Lucas, who was an associate at her father's law firm, always attended; with Beth's crazy work schedule, she hadn't seen Char in a few months and was looking forward to reconnecting.

She was grateful, for her father's sake, that the Gala was tonight because she was sure that her mother had not stopped her barrage of questions and suppositions about Mr. Bingley when they left the other night. Not to mention that no matter how many details her father knew, it would be an unsatisfactory amount to quench her mother's thirst for information; tonight, Irene would meet him for herself and put all of her inquiries to rest.

With the potential DeBourgh account acquisition, Beth had been super crazy at work this past week trying to get ahead on her other client work so that she would have time to dedicate to learning about her new client. She was glad to finally have the weekend off for the Gala,to relax and let loose for a little bit.

As she walked to pick up her morning Starbucks, she realized that she had completely forgot to get a dress for tonight. When she got to the coffee shop, she sat down with her iced ristretto vanilla latte at one of their tables and began browsing the Rent the Runway app for a last minute wardrobe rental. Since she needed the dress delivered today, her choices were limited. Thankfully, they had a Nicole Miller dress available in her size. She never liked blending in with the crowd so she chose a form-fitting, crimson, silk chemise gown; she'd rented something similar from that designer before so she was confident that it would fit well.

Beth liked this Starbucks on Chambers Street because it never got too crowded at this time of the morning. She could sit and sip her coffee, read a book, or just people watch for a few minute before heading out. Since she usually didn't head into her office until nine-thirty on week days, she would get here after the morning commute rush when the majority of the customers were non-working moms, purchasing their fuel to get through the day.

She couldn't imagine doing that - being at home, with kids all day, and not working. She could barely relax at home by herself without feeling the need to do something productive. Jane always joked that she should have taken a course in college on relaxation so that maybe she would practice it more. In contrast, she had double-majored in Public Relations & Corporate Communication and Journalism, and minored in English at NYU; she couldn't help that she threw herself completely into whatever goal she was pursuing. In her opinion, it was that focused dedication that made her so successful at whatever she did.

Today, since it was the weekend, there was a melange of customers moseying in and out of the café. Most of them were younger couples grabbing a morning drink before, she imagined, spending the day together enjoying the city. That was the one thing she regretted about her life so far, not that she would ever admit this, especially to her mother. She'd put off dating and trying to find a boyfriend all through college and graduate school, and once she had gotten her job, she'd gone out with a couple of guys but they either weren't as ambitious as she was, or they were successful and expected her to be not as ambitious as she was. If she had looked for a boyfriend earlier, maybe someone who had been in the same programs as she was, she might have found someone who was equally passionate about his goals as he was about challenging her to pursue hers. Now, she felt like she had missed the boat; her requirements too specific and her time too sparse for Mr. Perfect to find his way into her life.

Her phone buzzed, drawing her from her thoughts.

 _"Hey, can you bring me back a chai tea latte?"_ Jane had messaged her.

 _"Sure. Be home soon,"_ Beth typed back as she got up and got back in line to order her sister's drink.

She was back at her apartment ten minutes later, met by a sister eager for her morning tea.

"Thanks so much for grabbing this for me. I needed a treat this morning, mom's been texting me about tonight - what I'm wearing, what I should say, how I should act, if I've googled what Charles Bingley looks like; she's starting to make me nervous.

"Well that's mom. Just tell her what she wants to hear and forget about it - you'll be fine." Beth plopped down on their couch and opened up her laptop to check her emails.

"Do you know anything about him? Charles Bingley?" Jane asked hesitantly as she followed Beth into their living room, trying not to give away that she might have gotten her hopes up about meeting him.

"Really not a whole lot, I'm sorry." Looking up from her computer she gave Jane a sad face. "Since he's lived in Boston until now, he hasn't really entered into my work world. I know that they asked him to be on the Bachelor a couple of months ago and he turned it down to focus on his career. There was some speculation that he maybe was already in a relationship and that's why he didn't accept but I don't think they had any clue about who he might be dating."

"Oh. Ok… That's all?"

"Pretty much, sorry. I'm sure he's available and if dad was impressed by him then I'm doubly sure that he is worth your interest. Not that I actually enjoy agreeing with mom but why don't you google him? Wikipedia will probably be able to give you more information than I can. "

"I did already." Even though she only said it to her sister, Jane blushed at her admission. "I don't know why but I feel like I've gotten my hopes up about him and for no particular reason," lamented Jane. "It's probably mom's fault."

"Well it makes sense that meeting him is weighing more on you since dad really liked his first impression and you know dad is much more discerning of someone's character than most people. Plus, top that off with the fact that he might be taking over our family firm; that's also probably why mom's hopes are unrealistically high; I mean, it would basically be right out of a storybook if you ended up together." Seeing her sister's anxiety building, she closed her computer, stood up and put her hands on her sister's shoulders. "Don't let mom pressure you into anything; it's YOUR life and he is just one guy. If he's as smart as they say, though, he'll realize that you're the best thing that could happen to him."

"I know." Beth gave her a small smile as she headed down the hall to the bathroom to shower.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Jane had chosen a navy blue silk dress with delicate lace detailing on the bodice and sleeves and it fit her perfectly: classy, elegant, reserved. It was something she had worn a few years ago and had selectively recycled it for a few events. Out of all the sisters, Jane was the most traditionally beautiful; she was 5'7" with long blond hair and a slender, hourglass figure. Her looks alone had gotten her on more dates in the past few years than Beth had ever been asked; but, her personality was very quiet and timid and none of the men she had dated had really been able to break through that exterior and get her to open up more fully.

Beth on the other hand, after being a publicist for almost 8 years, was outgoing and always willing to speak her mind; maybe because she was never looking for a relationship, she never attempted to censor her thoughts or opinions. Her high standards for herself made it very rare for her to be impressed by a man, which, for better or worse, usually came across pretty obviously to them. Physically, her and Jane were also opposites; she was shorter than Jane by a few inches at just under 5'3", her hips and chest were smaller than she would have liked. She had non-distinct brown hair which she had dyed in a variety of different ways over the years but found that she just never wanted to deal with the maintenance and had gave up coloring it almost a year ago. She thought her eyes were one of her most attractive features even though they were brown; almost like a mood ring, the color would change depending on her emotional state; the brown would deepen when she was experienced any intense anger or frustration; when she was happy, little gold flecks would appear everywhere to lighten them to match her mood. Her dad had always said that if he could get a good look at her eyes, he would be able to read her mind. When she cared to put in the effort, she cleaned up well - but most would agree that while she was pretty, neither she nor any of her other sisters were as stunning as Jane.

Tonight, even though she wasn't quite sure why, she tried a little harder to stand out against her sister - admittedly a near impossibility. As she curled her hair and pulled it back, she attributed the extra effort to wanting to make the best impression on the man who might be buying her family's firm. As she had predicted, the dress she rented fit perfectly and highlighted her features. The spaghetti straps and low-cut back showed off her toned arms and back and the silk material of the gown clung to her curves and made them look better than they probably were. Earrings and a simple gold chain necklace topped off the look. As she looked in the mirror she saw that the red of the dress made her eyes appear like warm chocolate, an overall very sultry look. Taking stock of the finished product, she believed that tonight she actually looked beautiful. That notion was quickly suppressed as Jane appeared in her doorway in a deep navy gown accentuating perfectly her pale, delicate features as well as highlighting her sky blue eyes. With her hair was in loose, long curls and her makeup very natural, she looked effortlessly stunning. It was hard not to be jealous of Jane, and others like her who could look like a model in sweatpants and a t-shirt, but Beth never resented her for it. Thankfully, Beth was always in too fierce a competition with herself, to compare herself to others, much less her sister whom she adored.

"Wow, Beth! You look gorgeous, is that dress new?"

"Thanks! You too. Yeah kind of. I just rented it this morning - thank God for same day delivery on Rent the Runway. I completely forgot about getting something for tonight, but it worked out really well."

"Definitely, it's beautiful. Anyway, mom just texted me that they are in the limo and will meet us at the Plaza."

"Alright, I'll call a black car now then."

They arrived at the Plaza a little after seven-thirty because of Saturday night traffic, but then again it was always fashionable to be late. The Gala was held in the Terrace Room, one of the smaller celebration rooms that they offered. It was one of Beth's favorite venues, reminiscent of the Italian Renaissance with figures painted on the ceiling and crystal chandeliers crafted by Charles Winston (the brother of Harry Winston) as replicas of those that hung in Versailles. As they entered the room, the cocktail reception was already in full swing and they were each greeted with a generous glass of champagne from a passing waiter. A brief survey of the space told Beth that the Association's Events Committee hadn't changed the layout much since last year - a sizable dance floor in the center back of the room accentuated by decorative, ivy-covered columns at each corner; the live band was off to the left of the floor playing some classical pieces as people drank and mingled and an L-shaped bar off the right, also adorned with columns at each end and at the corner of the 'L'; interspersed on the tables as well as decoratively on the floor were large vases with abundant and expensive flower arrangements - filled with peonies, hydrangeas, and roses.

As only the most distinguished New York City lawyers were invited to the gala, the room wasn't too crowded and Beth spotted many familiar faces from previous years. Everyone seemed to be more energized than usual and Beth wondered if it was due to Charles Bingley being in town and the corresponding speculation of what business he had here, whom he might be partnering with, etc. A few steps and sips into the room and she spotted her friend Char excitedly approaching.

"Beth! I'm so happy to see you. Wow! You really outdid yourself tonight - you are looking hot! Hi Jane, you look gorgeous as always." Jane muttered a quiet thank you as Char hugged her and continued, "Anyway, you will never guess who is here! Charles Bingley, the son from the famous Bingley & Associates, is down from Boston. Word is that he is thinking of opening up shop here in the immediate future; but that isn't even the most interesting news, he brought —" Char was cut off by the arrival of Mrs. Bennet who appeared just at the precise moment to steal the thunder from her story.

"There you girls are! I've been waiting. You will never guess who is here. I can't believe your father didn't tell me. Charles' 'associate' is none other than William Darcy! He is the CEO of the Fitz Corporation - one the most successful investment banking firms in the world. Can you believe it? How your father did not recognize him is beyond me," Mrs. Bennet exclaimed, in a frenzy over what this connection could mean for her family. "And you know, Beth, I have it on good authority that he is single so make sure that you pay extra attention to him."

"Seriously," Beth mumbled as she rolled her eyes at her friends.

Fitz Corp was an international investment bank, started by George Darcy and now owned by his son, William. On a whole different scale than Bingley, William Darcy was one of the most eligible bachelors and one of the richest men in the world. Fitz Corp was headquartered in NYC but had many locations throughout the world and even though he was technically a resident of New York, Beth doubted he spent much time here at all. Considering her years of PR work in city, she still didn't know very much about him; she'd only seen him in a few photos, mostly related to his business successes. He usually managed to stay out of the spotlight - probably with the help of some not insubstantial bribes. The only story that had really managed to be leaked involving him was about two years ago, claiming that he and Anne DeBourgh were in a serious relationship and that there were speculations of a secret engagement however, the story quickly died with no definitive outcome. Ironically, Anne DeBourgh was the daughter of Mrs. Catherine DeBourgh and therefore a diamond heiress, as well as Beth's potentially new client.

With Mrs. Bennett's revelation, the room appeared in a whole new light. While everyone still appeared to be jovially enjoying themselves, there was a clear distraction and conscious focus on a small group of gentlemen who had congregated between the dance floor and the bar. Beth saw her father and Char's dad, Mr. Lucas, talking with two other gentlemen whom she assumed must be Charles and William. The room seemed to be tranced on these two handsome men.

As Beth took a closer look, she realized that the taller gentleman was possibly the hottest man she had ever seen. With perfectly styled dark hair and an impeccably tailored suit, that probably cost more than everything she owned combined, he looked like he had been ripped out of a GQ magazine. From her recollection of the photos of William Darcy, which hadn't prepared her at all for the man she was looking at now, she surmised that this must be him. That left the other gentleman to be Charles Bingley, who, while still very good-looking and well-dressed, had wavy, dirty-blond hair and lighter complexion; his appearance less harsh than his guest's.

"Jane, Beth, you have to come over and be introduced. I've been talking to Charles about you, Jane, and he seems very eager to meet you. He is just the nicest young man, I could not be more pleased, and very handsome too," Mrs. Bennett continued as she began to usher them over to where the group was standing.

Beth sent an apologetic stare to Char, who laughed and mouthed 'I'll see you later.' Knowing what she was walking into, she felt like she should really be on her second glass of champagne for this meeting to go over smoothly. As they passed the bar, Beth chugged the rest of her glass and exchanged it quickly for a fresh one.

As they approached the group, Beth was able to get an even better look at one of the most successful men in the world, and boy did he seem bored; beautiful, but bored. Mr. William Darcy was conclusively the most beautiful man she had ever seen. Her closer proximity to him revealed his distinct cheekbones and masculine chin, without even a hint of stubble; his tailored suit fit so snug that every slight movement showed that he most definitely just did not sit behind a desk all day. His presence exuded extreme composure and confidence. Even though he was engaged in the conversation, nodding and responding to the comments made by others, his eyes were vacant; looking at whomever was speaking but seeing right through them. It almost went beyond boredom, his eyes were blasé, apathetic; he knew that he was above all of these people and it bored him. A moment just before Beth and her family reached the group, those deep mahogany eyes stared straight at her and flared with emotion; his composure broken for a split second. Whether she imagined it or not, the effect was still the same, a shiver ran straight down her spine and her nipples hardened as if his gaze had sent an electric shock right through her system. Thank god she had decided to at least put on nipple stickers since her dress didn't allow for a traditional bra, otherwise her arousal would have been even more embarrassing. Beth remembered to breath again as they arrived at the group. Looking at Mr. Darcy's face once more, she wondered if she had imagined his reaction since his rigid suit of stoicism appeared to be back in place.

"Gentlemen, Mr. Bingley, Mr. Darcy, may I introduce my two oldest daughters, Jane and Beth," Mrs. Bennet's voice sabotaging any and all further thought.

Jane blushed attractively as she shook hands with Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley. It was clear to Beth that Jane's looks alone had already peaked Charles' interest as he pulled her hand up to his mouth to kiss it. Her cheeks reddened even more as he spoke.

"It is my pleasure to meet you, Jane. I've heard nothing but wonderful things from both of your parents," Charles responded, unable to take his eyes off of Jane. Someone quietly cleared their throat and remembering himself, he quickly turned to Beth to shake her hand and warmly greet her.  
"It's very nice to meet you Mr. Bingley."

"Oh, please, call me Charles," he insisted with a smile.

In comparison with that pleasant greeting, Mr. Darcy gave a brief glance and nod of his head to them accompanied by a curt, 'a pleasure,' and promptly resumed his conversation with Mr. Lucas. Charles seemed a bit embarrassed by his friend's response and quickly took the opportunity to start up a conversation with Jane.

Mrs. Bennett discreetly leaned over to Beth and huffed, "What a snob; All that money and a handsome face can't buy you good manners I guess; too proud of his own self-importance to converse with you beautiful girls. What a disappointment." Mr. Bennet, hearing his wife's not-so-discreet whisper touched her elbow and gave her a stare that suggested she be careful insulting the man who had the power to make or break their potential business arrangement.

Deciding that the brief spark earlier must have come from her rapid consumption of champagne, Beth enthusiastically threw herself into Jane and Charles' conversation. By this point, the DJ had started playing some classics and people were moving out onto the dance floor. Starting to feel like the third wheel in the conversation, Beth excused herself from the group and made her way to the bar, hoping that holding a full glass of wine would deter any dance requests. As she waited for her drink and chatted with some of the other gala attendees, she saw that Jane and her father had made their way to the dance floor along with Mr. Lucas and her mother. Glad that no one had come looking for her to dance, she moved around the corner column to the other side of the bar, trying to hide herself from view and take a minute to herself.

Looking around from her hiding spot, Beth was happy to see Char making her way over to her after being separated from her friend earlier before they had a chance to talk. The girls took a few minutes to catch up on work and family drama before they became distracted into silence as more guests made their way out to the dance floor. Just when her mind had returned to gorgeously, rude Mr. Darcy, Beth saw him and Charles making their way through the small crowd around the bar to get themselves another drink; fortunately, not noticing her standing right around the corner from them as she was effectively obscured by the decorative column. As they waited for their drinks, Beth began to listen in on their conversation.

"I think I'm going to ask Jane for a dance," Charles stated excitedly as looked transfixed on his prospective partner dancing with her father.

"Do you think that's wise? We are about to be in the middle of a business arrangement. It's never a good idea to mix business and pleasure," Darcy replied scoldingly.

"Oh, Darcy come on. It's a party, try to have a little fun. I almost regret asking for your help with this venture, if you're not going to enjoy yourself."

"I am enjoying myself, and part of that enjoyment comes from not dancing. You know I can't stand dancing, especially with someone I don't know, or even worse, some insipid chit," Darcy retorted.

"There are plenty of gorgeous, very nice women here. You don't know any of them so you can't know that they are brainless," Bingley replied, appearing to be quite anxiously awaiting the end of the song so that he could make his way back over to Jane to request a dance.

"Charles, your quarry is the only beautiful girl in the room and I'm presuming that you don't want me stealing her out from under you."

"Ha! Well, I can't disagree that she is the most beautiful one here; but with your manners, I doubt she would enjoy being stolen by you. What about her sister, Beth? I don't see her out on the dance floor. She is very sharp, definitely not vapid at all. She's probably the only one I've met so far who could deal with your deplorable social skills."

Even though they couldn't see her, Beth blushed slightly at Charles' compliment and was eagerly waiting for a moment later when she could tell Jane what he had said about her. However, her small pleasure was short-lived as Mr. Darcy responded to his suggestion.

"Beth? You mean the one in the red? I can't dance with her; she's barely tolerable but not my type and definitely not on my level. I'm just not in the mood to entertain someone who is so inconsequential to me, but it looks like the song is ending, so you better go over and find Jane before I decide to." Charles looked like he wanted to respond, but Darcy was right, the song had ended and he wanted to ask Jane for the next dance before someone else beat him to it. So, with a disapproving stare, he left Darcy standing at the bar to finish his scotch old-fashioned alone.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Beth wished she was drunker than she was, then maybe by the morning the alcohol would erase all the humiliation she felt from her memory. Unfortunately she wasn't quite at that point yet, and Char's shocked turned sympathetic stare told her that she wasn't the only one who had heard Mr. Darcy's response. Determined not to let someone she barely knew ruin her night, or have her friend worry about her, Beth quickly brushed off her dismay.

"Who describes someone as tolerable? What does that even mean?! He's such a pompous ass. I don't see anyone lining up around the block to dance with him, let alone talk to him, so he's one to talk," Beth's sarcastic response followed by a quick laugh was her best attempt to convince Char that she wasn't bothered by the exchange. She hoped that her friend didn't turn the ordeal into more than she wanted it to be; the last thing she wanted was to feel pitied all night, especially when she had worked so hard on her look.

"I can't believe he just said that about you B. Seriously, who talks about someone that way? It's no wonder he's not married yet, who would be able to stand someone like that? Are you sure yo—" Char was interrupted by one of her fellow associates who stopped to ask her to dance. With an apologetic look that also said they would continue this discussion later, Char left Beth standing alone at the bar, on the other side of the column where Mr. Darcy was still residing.

Left alone to collect her thoughts, Beth stared out into the crowd. Now she knew that she must have imagined that disconcerting moment between them earlier; ironically her spirits fell with that reflection and she was frustrated because she didn't understand why. She didn't even know this man, and what she did know she didn't like - except his looks, those were exceptional.

Tolerable. Seriously, who says tolerable, number one; and number two, she looked phenomenal tonight. After the 3 large glasses of wine, she felt comfortable admitting that to herself. She looked phenomenal and she was pissed. She didn't care who he was or that he was richer than Bill Gates, she was determined to put that pompous ass in his place. She turned and asked the bartender for a shot of Jameson and quickly downed it. With a deep breathe and some liquid courage, she gathered her wits and rounded the corner of the bar to give this man a piece of her mind.

As she came around the column, Mr. Darcy's eyes recognized her and flashed momentary surprise and concern, which he quickly concealed.

"Mr. Darcy, nice to see you again, I hope you are enjoying your evening," Beth stated in her most cordial tone and ended with, what she hoped was, a dazzling smile.

Strangely for such a composed man, he seemed off-put by her statement and warm manner. He stared at her for a moment, like he couldn't think of what to say. His brown eyes turned a liquid amber as he held her stare, making her almost forget what she had confronted him about. Another guest bumped into Darcy as he walked by, startling him back into reality, and as quickly as it had come, the emotion melted from his face; his stoic mask returned as he responded.

"Yes. It's very nice, thank you," was all he managed to get out. Even though his eyes seemed to look right through her, his voice was strained.

"Good, I'm glad." Beth forged on before she forgot her purpose or realized that she probably shouldn't make a scene. "It seems that Jane and Charles are getting along very well, don't you think? He seems to be bringing out the best in her, even just from their short conversation earlier. Anyway, I don't want to bore you. I hope you find the party to be 'on your level' and that you manage to discover some other aspects of the evening to be more than 'tolerable.'" With that retort and one last accusatory stare, Beth turned around to walk away when Darcy grabbed her arm.

Heat and electricity shot up her arm, turning all her senses on high alert with an immediate wave of intense desire. Her breath sucked in as she quickly turned around to face him. He stared at her with lust raging in his eyes, taking in the sight of her face, flushed from alcohol, then anger, and then desire. Trailing them slowly down her body, as if he were stripping her down right there. Then, just as quickly, he released her arm as if he couldn't even bear to touch her; maybe he was just so shocked that he had made such an impulsive gesture in public.

"Miss Bennet—" he began but Beth interrupted him.

"It's been a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Darcy," Beth said with all the vehemence that she had attempted to restrain. As she spoke, she crossed her arms over her chest and tried to walk away as gracefully as 5 drinks would allow. The shock and instantaneous regret that passed over his features as he realized that she had heard him had been a mild ointment on her bruised pride; it was quickly surpassed by the tingling sensation and diffuse warmth that had spread through her when he had touched her. If she didn't detest him so much, she would have admitted that it was the strongest attraction that she had ever felt. However, she was too proud to be attracted to someone who had insulted her so rudely and so she quickly allowed the alcohol to take the blame for her physical reaction.

The rest of the evening passed uneventfully for her; she found Char after that song and the two spent the next hour or so catching up. Char hadn't seen her confrontation with Darcy and, thoughtfully, didn't mention the 'intolerable' incident again. While that was a minor reprieve, Beth forced herself to acknowledge that she would have to see Mr. Darcy again until the business with the law firm was settled.

The biggest highlight of Beth's night was seeing how surprisingly well Jane and Charles were getting along. They danced several more times together, she noticed, and spent the time between those dances talking mostly amongst themselves. She wanted her sister to be happy, and she hoped that, if these observations were any indication, that this merger might be promising in more ways than one.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

When Beth and Jane finally got home where it was quiet and they were able to talk, Beth found out just how well the night had gone.

"Charles is one of the most genuine people I have ever met. I'll admit that I had my hopes up, but he is wonderful, Beth. You would think he would be a stuck up or entitled with his degree and job title, but he's not. He's so open. You can just tell from talking to him how much he loves what he does, how much he loves helping people," Jane effused compliments about him, her attraction to him written all over her face.

"Plus, he's pretty hot too, which doesn't hurt," Beth interjected, half-jokingly.

"Well yeah, but he's so much more than that. I mean, I work with lawyers all day, and most of them are people that I admire, but they don't hold a candle to Charles. I'm so happy and nervous at the same time; I really like him but what if he doesn't like me back? I sound like I'm in high school right now. I just don't want to be let down again." Jane confided with a blush.

Well, Beth certainly knew how that felt right now. Putting aside her evening drama, she tried to allay Jane's concerns by relating what she tried to portray as a comic event - the overheard conversation between Charles and Mr. Darcy. Of course, with Jane being Jane, she was instantly focused on if Beth was ok and why she hadn't told her earlier. Knowing that it must have hurt Beth to hear that, Jane tried to come up plausible reasons for why he said what he said, what he could have meant, or that perhaps Beth simply misheard him because it 'was quite noisy in there with the band in full swing.' While she appreciated her sister's kind soul, Beth finished her story by relaying their subsequent interaction. After a few minutes of back and forth, Beth managed to redirect Jane's attempt to exonerate Darcy back to what Charles say about her.

"He really likes you, Jane and you seemed so comfortable with him. Plus, I'm sure mom was all over you about how he only danced with you. Anyway, don't get so nervous that you close yourself off from him; trust me, he really likes you, too," Beth cautioned.

"I know. He's just so easy to feel comfortable around so I hope you are right. We will be spending a lot of time together over the next few weeks because of work. Dad wants me to introduce Charles to the firm while the three of them prepare the paperwork and discuss the details of the buyout contract."

"I wonder if that means Mr. Darcy will be with you the whole time. They seem like they are really close, but for your sake I hope his involvement in this whole deal is limited."

How someone as congenial as Charles could be such good friends with someone like Darcy was beyond Beth. She attributed it to the fact that it must be a longstanding friendship from back in their college days that grew so strong in spite of the how Darcy's character must have changed from that point; Charles just had to excuse it now for his old friend's sake.  
They ended the conversation on a hopeful note, Jane looking forward to Monday when she would see Charles again, Beth looking forward to throwing herself into working with her new client and forgetting all about the intolerable Mr. Darcy.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Beth walked into the office Monday morning energized and eager to hear what had happened with the DeBourgh account. She had dreamt all night about the gala and her confrontation with Mr. Intolerable. Except in her dreamt version, he hadn't let go of her arm, but had led her up to his penthouse where her dress and virginity were subsequently ruined. That dream ensured that she didn't get a good night sleep, and having to wake up from that and acknowledge the reality of how the situation actually transpired had put Beth in a sour mood. So, as she walked right into her boss, Phil Gardiner's office, she said a silent prayer that he was about to give her an account with which she could completely engross her mind.

"Beth! Good morning. How was the gala?" asked Phil with a warm smile on his face.

Phil Gardiner and his wife were good friends of Beth's family; he may have even been distantly related on her mom's side, but she could never quite remember how. Phil, while still keeping it professional, managed to treat Beth more like a daughter than just another employee. He had given Beth a job when she was done with her masters and she had been determined to not take it for granted because of their friendship. Throwing herself into the work, with many nights anxiously spent without sleep, Beth managed to blow them away with what she was capable of in the first six months of her employ. Her success had quickly gotten her promoted up in the company to one of the senior publicists, working only with their top, most valuable clients.

"Pretty much the same as it is every year. Some new faces there while livened up the party. Anyway, what's going on with the DeBourgh account? Do we have it? Where do we stand?" Beth quickly directed the conversation where she needed it to be right now.

"Ah, yes. We have the account but it's on a trial basis for the next 3 months to make sure they are happy with our work. They just finished with their big Mother's Day campaign and are now beginning to focus on their summer promotions. They've moved into the city for the next month or so and then are spending the rest of the summer at their house in the Hamptons. While they are here, Mrs. DeBourgh obviously wants to meet you and have you assess some potential press opportunities in the city and then once they are back in the Hamptons, she wants you out there for possibly up to a week for some events."

"Great! When am I meeting with her?"

"How did I know that after this weekend you would be itching for some new work? Haha. I've scheduled you a lunch meeting with her today at noon at the Waldorf."

"Great! Ok, let me go catch up on their file and then I'll head over there," Beth said as she took the DeBourgh folder from Phil and headed out of his office down the hall to her own. She spent the next few hours going over their recent PR over the last 3 years, both business and personal PR. DeBourgh Diamonds has been around for over one hundred years. Aside from a few questionable pieces on their supply being fueled by blood diamonds, a majority of their business press had been positive - mostly comprised of pieces about their history and charitable ventures. Their personal PR was a little more scarce. The only stories in that time frame were initially about the death of the late Mr. DeBourgh, followed by several more pieces on Mrs. DeBourgh's daughter, Anne's, relationship with one William Darcy.

Could she not escape this man?

Like Mr. Intolerable, there hadn't been much in the news about Anne DeBourgh. She had gone to school out of the country and when she graduated from Oxford, she returned home and began working for her father. She was strikingly beautiful, with pristine white skin, pale blond hair and ice blue eyes. From all the photos, she looked like she was a royal bitch. Beth hoped that wasn't jealousy talking but seriously, hardly any had her smiling in them; and the ones that did looked like she was either faking it or like she really didn't feel well.

Being that both families were very powerful and wealthy, whose companies have been around for many decades, the story surrounding their suspected relationship gathered some traction for a while. It seemed that the Darcy and the DeBourgh families were very close, possibly very distantly related, and the potential for a marriage between the two excited the press almost as much as it excited Mrs. DeBourgh, who had alluded to a "joint venture" between the two firms. After several public appearances together at corporate functions for both his and her families' companies, the couple split. There was no comment at the time from either of their reps confirming a break-up or even confirming a previously existing relationship. However, a few months later, when questioned at a Harry Winston event about her relationship with Mr. Darcy, Anne broke down in tears and retreated behind the security line, unable to answer the question.

Even though she knew she should be focused on their business PR since that was mostly going to be the focus of her work for them, Beth found herself inexplicably sidetracked on Darcy and Anne's previous relationship for the last hour before leaving the office. She realized she was becoming borderline obsessed with finding out if they had actually been dating and why they broke up when she resorted to reading the tabloids for more information - even though she knew that they rarely ever gave correct or verifiable facts.

At the the end of that hour, she admitted frustratingly that she hadn't learned much. From all the photos that she had seen, it was pretty obvious that they had been in a relationship even though no rep would confirm it; but as to what had happened, she had no clue. She had read several statements that Mrs. DeBourgh made about the match though that seemed to imply her confident expectation of a marriage between the two. Beth wondered if Darcy would come up in their lunch meeting as she walked out of her office and grabbed an Uber. Wouldn't that be her luck.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Beth was the first to arrive at Peacock Alley, which was pretty typical when meeting with high profile clients; they liked to be the last to arrive. She ordered herself an iced tea and a small fruit and cheese plate for the table. As the waiter left, she saw Mrs. DeBourgh walking into the restaurant, following by a larger gentleman, whom she assumed to be her personal security. Mrs. DeBourgh, while in her early sixties, still looked very good for her age - whether that was her genes or a very good plastic surgeon, Beth wasn't going to speculate. She was very elegantly dressed in a pale pink pant suit with a white blouse and navy scarf. Beth observed her demeanor from afar and while cordial to the hostess and others working at the restaurant, she still exuded a degree of hauteur; she was kind but only because she was 'above' them. As she approached the table, Beth stood to greet her.

"Mrs. DeBourgh, I'm Beth Bennett with the Gardiner Group. It's a please to meet you," she said as she shook Mrs. DeBourgh's hand.

"A pleasure, Miss Bennett. Now, I assume Mr. Gardiner has brought you up to speed on our arrangement," Mrs. DeBourgh responded as they both took a seat.

"Yes, I spoke with him this morning and he informed me that we are on a three-month trial. I just wanted to speak with you and get a feel for what events you have planned during that time and what your press goals are."

"Lovely. Yes, now that Mother's Day is over, we slow down a bit for the summer to work on designs for the fall/winter collection; however, we have a few events planned over the next few months, the biggest of which takes place at our private residence in the Hamptons, which it would be essential for you to attend. The 'Summer Ice' White Party we host every year and invite a slew of high profile persons, from public officials to celebrities, to bid on select, rare pieces, which a portion of the proceeds then go to fund one of our charities. We would obviously need you to put out information on the event, as well as a few pieces on some of the guests expected to attend. I have a feeling this year is going to be the most talked about event of the season."

"Wonderful. I'm familiar with the event and I can certainly put together several releases to major print and online news outlets in advance. Is there anything else I should be focusing on?"

"No, not for the DeBourgh Diamonds. However, personally, there is something more important that I will need you to investigate and keep me apprised of," Mrs. DeBourgh continued very seriously, her genial smile leaving her face. "I'm sure you are aware of the press several years ago surrounding my daughter and the CEO of Fitz Corp, William Darcy. I've heard that he is back in town and was seen at your father's firm. I specifically requested you because I will need you to keep me apprised of his business here, but even more importantly, if he is seen with anyone that would suggest a romantic relationship."

Beth couldn't believe her ears. She'd been kidding when she wondered if Darcy would come up. She was a publicist, not a private investigator - what was this woman thinking?

"This is the most important thing that I need from you and I trust that you will remain discreet about it," Mrs. DeBourgh finished with a very stern stare indicating that this was the real reason for her approaching the Gardiner Group and any disagreement or refusal to perform the task would result in her taking her business elsewhere.

"Of course ma'am, but you know that this isn't what I normally do. I've barely even met Mr. Darcy; I'm not sure I'm going to be very privy to his other business outside my father's firm, especially anything involving his personal life," Beth tried to gently lower Mrs. DeBourgh's expectations of what she thought she was capable of.

"Yes, yes. But I know he is there on behalf of Charles Bingley and that man is very open with information, so I'm sure between you and your sister, you'll be able to track down these details for me. I know you will be able to do this for me. I assured Mr. Gardiner that you were the one I wanted for the job. I would hate to have to go back and retract my statement," Mrs. DeBourgh then not-so-subtly intimated.

Beth couldn't believe what she was hearing; First, being asked to spy on a man she despised, then realizing that the only reason she got the job was because of her close proximity to him and one of his good friends, and last basically being threatened if she didn't get the job done. What was she going to do? Not that she really had a choice in the matter. The DeBourghs were a major account for the Gardiner Group to acquire and she wasn't going to ruin that for Phil after all that he had done for her. How bad could it be? She really wasn't going to be able to find out much, the man barely spoke two words to people that he liked, let alone those he found just tolerable.

"Of course, Mrs. DeBourgh. I'm more than capable of handling everything for you," Beth reassured her.

"Wonderful. If you could provide me with an update by the end of the week and then at the end of this month we can start work on the summer party. It's been a pleasure, Miss Bennett. I knew I wasn't wrong in choosing you for the job," said Mrs. DeBourgh as she stood to leave.

As she left the restaurant, Beth wondered what the woman could possibly have planned with Mr. Darcy; maybe she was still intent on him marrying Anne, the poor girl. Whomever ended up saddled with Mr. William Darcy was in for a very sad life, that was for sure.  
As Beth headed home for the day, she tried to figure out how to explain to her family why she was going to be hanging around the law firm so much for the next several weeks. She finally decided to tell them it was because Phil, being good friends of her family, wanted to make sure that with ownership of the firm changing, that there would only be positive press associated with it. It wasn't a great reason but it's not like she could tell them that she was sent there as a spy. She would tell Jane though. She told Jane everything.

When Jane got home that night, her face lit up as she recalled how she spent her day with Charles - going over the history of the firm, taking him for a tour, having lunch together. It was clear than Jane was head over heels already. Apparently, Mr. Darcy had had other business to attend to today and wasn't there but he was going to be at the firm tomorrow talking to the other associates and employees.

"It just feels like we've known each other forever. We were basically together the entire day and there was no awkward silence where we had run out of things to say; it just felt so natural to be with him."

"That's wonderful! I'm sure he feels the same way too. I'm so happy for you!" Jane was obviously in love with Charles but Beth didn't want to tell her that quite yet and have her recoil from her happiness in fear that he might not reciprocate her feelings.

When she had finished gushing about her day with Charles, Beth told her about the meeting with Mrs. DeBourgh; Jane was shocked. Beth, though, left out the part where she was supposed to squeeze Charles for information if she couldn't get it from Darcy directly, she didn't want Jane to be nervous having Beth and Charles in the same room. Jane, of course, always giving everyone the benefit of the doubt, suggested that maybe Anne DeBourgh was still so upset over their breakup that Mrs. DeBourgh wanted to make sure that she didn't bring her daughter any place the he might be. Beth admitted that could be part of the reason, given that one incident she had read about but she couldn't refute it without mentioning the request for information about Darcy's personal life and if he was dating anyone. It seemed like there was more to her demands than the need to simply protect her daughter, Mrs. DeBourgh was too smart for that; she had other, bigger plans in mind.

Before heading to bed, she gave Jane a heads up on her cover story for why she was going to be at the firm frequently over the next few weeks; Jane thought it was a very plausible reason, though, and that it would be good for her to be there anyway.

"Then you can also see Charles and I and give me your opinion of his actions, if he really likes me or not."

"Ok, but I don't need to to know that he's really into you. But if it will ease your mind…" She trailed off as she texted her father to let him know to expect her tomorrow morning. She got ready for bed and as she climbed under the covers, tried to not think about having to deal with Mr. Intolerable tomorrow morning and hoping his memory would at least let her sleep in peace tonight.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Determined to be prepared for battle, Beth spent some extra time getting dressed and even putting on makeup that morning. She picked out her light blue, V-neck chemise dress with a navy blazer and navy pumps - trying to keep her clothing light incase she had any hot flashes again. She kept telling herself that she wasn't trying to impress Mr. Intolerable with her appearance, that she was a professional woman and had a job to do; unfortunately, the small voice of reality inside her head reminded her otherwise.

Jane and Beth rode quietly to the Longbourne firm together, one overwhelmed with anticipation, the other with anxiety. Jane informed her that Charles and Mr. Darcy were due in to the firm around eleven this morning and they would do a brief tour, since Mr. Darcy hadn't been present for the one yesterday, introduce them to some of the key employees, and then take them to lunch. Beth nodded, trying to reassure herself that she could do this.

When they arrived, Jane went up to their father's office to go over a contract for a client of theirs and take care of some other minor business before their guests arrived. The firm was three floors - the reception as well as interns and junior associates were stationed on the first floor, Jane and the senior associates on the second, and her father and Bill Collins on the third floor along with some conference rooms. While there was an elevator, it wasn't very conveniently located, so most people just used the large, decorative staircase that went up to the center of each floor. Since Jane was upstairs working with their dad, Beth took over her office, setting her purse and briefcase down behind the desk, pulling out her laptop and opening her email to check in with her assistants and begin some client work. Before she knew it Jane was standing in the doorway with a big smile on her face.

"I was just buzzed that Charles and Mr. Darcy are here," Jane said, excitedly.

Beth tried to put on a brave face and followed her out of the office. As they walked down the stairs to the reception, Beth managed to get a glimpse of Mr. Darcy first. He was facing away from them, attired in an impeccably cut navy suit. Even without seeing his face, he seemed like a statue - poised and rigid, probably determined to glare intruders into submission. By complete contrast, Charles had his elbow resting on the reception counter and was cheerfully chatting with Claire, the receptionist. He noticed the girls first, his face lighting up on seeing Jane.

"Good morning, Misses Bennetts!" he exclaimed jovially as he began to walk to greet them with a large bouquet of yellow tulips in his hand, "These, my lovely Jane, are for you for graciously agreeing to put up with me for a second day in a row." Charles handed a blushing Jane the flowers. She closed her eyes and took a moment to smell them, pleasure spreading across her face as she quietly thanked him.

At his words, Beth held her breath as Mr. Darcy reservedly turned to face them, hoping her uneasiness didn't show. When he saw her, his reserve visibly faltered as his mouth parted ever so slightly; as soon as his eyes met her, there was a distinct flash of desire which was immediately suppressed by his mask of composure. With a grim line on his mouth, he followed Bingley toward them and murmured a low, "Good morning."

"Good morning, gentlemen. Thank you so much for coming," Beth smiled and replied very cordially, trying to ignore the heat that had begun to suffuse throughout her body. Deliberately not making eye contact with Mr. Intolerable she continued, "if you'd like to follow us, we can drop Jane's flowers in her office and then continue on with the tour."

The group made their way back to the second floor and into Jane's office.

"These are so beautiful, Charles. Thank you so much. I know I have a vase right back he—" Jane spoke as she made her way around her desk, not realizing that Beth's laptop bag was on the floor. Her heel got caught in the strap and she half fell onto her desk chair, dropping the flower onto the floor.

"Jane! Are you ok?" Charles exclaimed as he rushed behind the desk to help her.

"I'm so sorry Jane, I left my bag there. It's my fault." Beth went over and began to pick up the flowers from the floor as Charles lifted Jane up to sit on her chair.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. I just hope I didn't crush the beautiful flowers." Jane tried to reassure them as she stood back up and grabbed the vase behind her desk for Beth to set the tulips in.

"They are good as new," Beth said as she arranged the blooms.

"Oh good." The relief visible on her face. "Now before I fall again, lets get on with the —- ow!" Jane attempted to stand and take steps toward the office door, but found that she was unable to put any weight on that ankle without it giving out.

"I must have twisted it. I'm so sorry for the trouble everyone," she apologized profusely as she allowed Bingley, who had caught her again as she stumbled, to guide her back to down into chair.

"Jane, I'm going to go get you some ice to put on that. You shouldn't walk on it until the doctor takes a look. We can reschedule the tour for another day," Beth suggested.

"Oh no, Beth, I don't want to set us behind. Why don't you take them without me? I'll call dad down to take a look and call the doctor."

"I have a better idea," said Charles. "Beth, I'll get some ice and stay here with your sister this way you can take Darcy here for the tour. I saw mostly everything yesterday anyway so I won't be missing much."

Just when she thought her day could not possible be any more trying, now she was going to have to spend the entire afternoon alone with Mr. Intolerable.

"Are you sure, Jane? I can stay with you if you want. It's really not a big deal to reschedule," she tried to persuade her sister, sending her pleading 'don't do this to me' looks.

Unfortunately, Jane was too preoccupied with Charles' attention to her ankle that she didn't pick up on Beth's distress. "No, it's really ok, Beth. Charles will stay with me, you can take Mr. Darcy. I'd hate for this to set back this process." Jane hated to let anyone down, especially their father on something so important as this contract; at this moment, Beth's aversion to Mr. Darcy was the last thing that would have crossed her mind.

"Alright, if you say so," she replied, turning around to face her nemesis. "Mr. Darcy, if you wouldn't mind, I would be very happy to give you a brief tour of our firm," she said almost too politely, with a fake smile on her face. Lord, help me.

At her statement, his eyebrows raised slightly as a challenge to her statement that she was pleased to be stuck with him. After she confronted him the other night, he was beginning to see that there was no end to her gumption and determination. Many women would have pretended not to hear such unflattering terms, let alone rub them in his face and then happily agree to endure his presence only a few days later; he was impressed. "That would be very convenient, Miss Bennett. Thank you." Turning briefly to Jane and Charles he said, "I hope your ankle feels better."

Convenient? What the hell does that mean? This man made her brain work overtime. Determined not to be defeated, she focused on her goals: giving him a tour of the firm and discreetly extracting information about his social schedule and relationship status for Mrs. DeBourgh. Too bad he didn't just have a Facebook that she could just check. What she definitely did not want to happen was to end up in a discussion about their confrontation the other night.

"Wonderful. Now, Mr. Intol—, I mean Mr. Darcy, if you'll follow me we can start on third floor and work our way downstairs," Beth began as she led him up the central staircase to the top floor, ignoring his puzzled look at her almost slip of the tongue.

"On this floor is my father's office as well as Bill Collins and some consult rooms. I don't think my father is due back until lunch and Bill is out on vacation until the end of the month."

"Is he aware that your father is selling the firm? What is his relationship with your family?" Mr. Darcy bluntly asked.

"I'm not sure that my father has told him yet. His family and mine have been close for many years and I think my father promoted him to partner partly because of it. Not that he isn't an excellent lawyer, but he's not very good at managing or directing, so the firm would suffer severely if he were to be placed in charge. Unfortunately, he doesn't realize that, and I think he has somewhat expected to be the 'heir' of the firm for some time." Beth was probably giving him too much information but she didn't want there to be an opportunity for him to bring up what had happened at the Gala.

"What about your sister?"

"Which one?" Beth countered, unsure why she felt the need to provoke him.

His brows drew together in confusion for a moment. "You have more than one?" His genuine interest expressed in the question seemed to surprise even himself because he shook his head and rephrased, "I meant what about Jane?"

"I have four sisters, including Jane. What are you wondering about her?" She smiled at him, reveling in his discomposure.

"Doesn't she want to become a lawyer to take over the firm?"

Beth chuckled at that question. She briefly showed him her father's office and the adjacent conference rooms before answering, "No, definitely not. Jane loves her job and is very smart, but she's too nice. She wouldn't make a good lawyer and she knows that."

"You are not so complacent though. You've managed to climb quite high at Gardiner," Darcy observed as a statement of fact and Beth wondered where he was getting his information about her and more importantly, why he was acquiring information on her. She quickly wrote it off as his thorough investigation into her family and their firm.

Using this personal comment as an opportunity to tackle her other task, she tried to nonchalantly ask some questions about his personal life.

"So how long are you in the city for?"

"I'm not sure. At least until this business is finished."

"Oh. Are you planning on attending any summer events while you're in the city?"

Darcy stared at her for a moment and she wondered if she had gone too far before he answered, "Well, aside from your firm's charity I haven't committed to anything."

"Well the Ball is always a nice event. You're welcome to bring a date - if you can find someone tolerable."

Why did she say that. She didn't want to talk about the other night.

Please, please, please don't make this awkward.

He looked at her with an almost pained expression but without addressing her comment said, "Thank you, Miss Bennett however, I'm perfectly content without company."

Incredible. Her immediate relief was short-lived as she was overcome with the strange desire to cry. The man couldn't even acknowledge or apologize for what he had said; and why she was so hurt by that fact bothered her. She hadn't meant to bring up that unfortunate situation but deep down she was childishly hoping that this incredibly powerful man would admit his fault, and ask for her forgiveness. She couldn't understand why she wanted that, but she did.

As they walked down the hall, she told him facts about the firm's history and her family's role in it's continued growth. She elaborated on their current expansions, whom they had hired, which larger clients they were retained by, and her father's future goals for the firm. There wasn't too much to see though on this floor and it seemed that no one was around to provide Beth with some shelter from her imposing companion who seemed barely able to carry a conversation. She picked up her pace and directed them back toward the main staircase to head back down to the second floor.

"We'll continue back down to the second floor where aside from Jane's office, you'll see that our five senior associates are located on this floor as well as their assistants and paralegals," she began. As they approached the ornate stair, she half-turned around and said, "I'm not sure who is in today but I'm happy to introduce you to anyone you want to speak with or ask any questions. Unfortunately, I'm not as knowledgable as Jane."

He was staring at her as she spoke - and not in the polite, I'm-listening-to-you kind of way. First, his eyes were focus on her lips and as she finished her sentence they settled on her eyes with an expression she could only describe as hunger.

"I have a feeling you are much more knowledgable than your sister," was his extremely quiet reply.

Beth wasn't quite sure what she just heard, if she had actually heard something, or if her brain had just imagined sounds coming from his mouth. So shocked was she by this loaded compliment that she stumbled over her own feet and started to fall down the stairs. The next instant, she was upright and hauled against Mr. Intolerable's very hard chest and boy was he hot; not just in the looks department, she could actually feel the heat of his skin radiating underneath her palms.

Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion, or at least that's what it felt like to Beth. One minute she was falling, the next she was being held up against her sworn enemy and the worst part was she wasn't sure which incident was making her heart beat faster. As she stared into his chest, trying to catch her breath, she felt her hands acting with a mind of their own; Her fingers slowly curling into his shirt, the silky soft texture of what must have been very expensive a sharp contrast to the solid muscle of the man underneath it. Her heart still beating out of her chest, she finally dragged her gaze up to his, unsure of what she would find.

Her eyes met fire. His lips were parted and panting and his eyes were a blazing blend of desperation and desire. She bit her lip and his nostrils flared. She could barely breathed, afraid to move a muscle because he looked like he was on the brink of losing control - which up until this moment she had thought an impossibility.

Not breaking eye contact, her brain started to acknowledge her other senses. He had this subtle, earthy smell to him with a little bit of masculine spice, probably from his aftershave. She had felt the heat and hardness of his chest immediately, but now it sunk in that this man definitely took time to keep himself physically fit; she realized that she was not only just crushed up against him, but her feet weren't actually touching the floor, which meant he was holding her up - his arms locked around her back. Everything about him was hard and unyielding, from his strained expression, to his chest, to his arms and further south.

Her eyes widened and jerked back up to meet his which now smokey with lust knowing she had realized the extent of his desire. Her teeth released her lower lip as she sucked in a breath, suddenly desperate for air.

That breath was the straw that broke the camel's back; his exhaled "Fuck" was the last thing she heard before his head swooped down and her mouth was engulfed by the inferno of desire raging inside of him. It seemed that William Darcy had two modalities: unflinchingly reserved and completely unchecked. His kiss was unstoppable conflagration where if she didn't kiss him back, she felt she would completely disintegrate. She hadn't made time for too many kisses in the past few years but she knew that she'd never been kissed like this before; she was pretty sure that most of Manhattan hadn't been kissed like this before. Her body was on fire with a hunger that she had managed to suppress for a long time; her skin tingling and aching. Unable to keep still, her hands started to move up to his shoulders, trying to pull him closer, kiss him deeper. Her rapid breaths brought her closer against his chest.

Just when she was sure he was going to end up taking her on the door of her father's office, the flame was extinguished. It was the coldness, the loss of the heat from his body, that she registered first. Her breath coming in large gulps, it took a moment for her thoughts to collect as she realized that she was standing on her own again with Mr. Darcy a foot or two away from her. As a look of confusion started to appear on her face, she heard what he must have a few seconds earlier, a conversation that was getting louder as the participants made their way up the staircase.

Beth could just imagine what she looked like, red and flushed with swollen lips; her dress crinkled in the front from being smashed up again him and in the back from his attempt to pull it up. She quickly smoothed down her dress and blazer as best as she could and wiped her lips; thankfully, she hadn't put any lipstick on this morning. A quick self-evaluation in the glass wall she was standing next to deemed her presentable, which gave her a moment to glance at Mr. Darcy before the conversation participants on the stairs reached them. While she was just barely able to put herself back together in time, Mr. Intolerable on the other hand hadn't missed a beat. His stoic mask was back in place and he was looking at her like he expected her to continue on with the tour with no mention or recollection of what happened.

Before she could confront him, the voices approaching on the stairs turned out to be George and her father. Her father was completely oblivious to her state of agitation, rather focused on impressing his guests. George on the other hand, who was a little more astute, looked at her and then over at Darcy with a questioning expression; he was quickly distracted in conversation though as her father brought up Jane. She was with the doctor now who was wrapping her ankle, determining it was just a mild sprain and that within a few days she would be fine. Her father informed her that he would finish up the tour for the two gentlemen, if she wanted to wait for her sister and they would all meet for lunch. Grateful for reprieve to settle the hurricane of emotions washing over mind, Beth smiled and nodded, without making eye contact with Mr. Darcy, and headed back down towards Jane's office.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

The doctor was still with Jane when Beth entered the room so she took a seat on the small settee to gather her thoughts. _What. Just. Happened_. If she didn't still feel like she was running a fever and that her lips were continuing to swell by the minute, she would have thought that she probably did just fall down the stairs and bump her head a little too hard. The physical remnants of that kiss however, were too blatant to ignore. Why did he kiss her? He thought she was "barely tolerable". Not only did he think that, but he knew that she knew he thought that. Not to mention, he didn't even address her slip earlier that referenced his insulting comment. How does one go from unapologetically thinking someone barely _tolerable_ to kissing them as if their life depended on it; that was what Beth couldn't wrap her head around. And then, to top it off, there was her reaction to the whole thing. What was _she_ thinking?! This was the too-proud, too-good-for-everyone, too-self-assured, too-prejudiced, Mr. Intolerable himself that she basically threw herself at without a wisp of hesitation. She couldn't understand her immediate reaction to him; it was like she couldn't stop herself from kissing him back. Even just recalling her response to him was starting to warm her insides again.

 _What was wrong with her?_ Just when her head started to explode with plausible reasons, she heard Jane in the background.

"Earth to Beth! Are you ok?" Jane said with a concerned look on her face. Even the doctor had paused in the midst of putting the air cast on her ankle to look over his shoulder at Beth.

"Yes, sorry. Just a lot on my mind at the moment," she responded knowing she would fill Jane in on the details as soon as they were alone. Jane seemed to get the message as she gave her a small smile and thanked the doctor for his help.

"How long do you have to wear the air cast for?" she asked Jane.

"He said two weeks and then see how it feels. It's a very minor sprain, I feel so stupid."

"Don't - it was my fault for leaving my bag there. Plus Charles seemed to enjoy the chance to nurse you back to health."

Jane laughed as a blush crept onto her cheeks. Before she had a chance to probe into Beth's complete distraction, the men returned from their tour ready to head to lunch. Thankfully, practical Jane had worn flats to work, so they were still able to walk to the Italian restaurant, DeNardi's, across the street. Even though it couldn't have taken Jane twenty steps to get there, Charles had put up some resistance, insisting that they hail a cab to take Jane around the block and bring her up directly in front of the restaurant. At the ridiculousness of that suggestion, he subsequently offered to carry her across the street to avoid any weight being put on her ankle. After Jane convinced him that that wasn't necessary either, she gave him the consolation of allowing him to escort her across the street, assuring him that she would rest some of her weight on his arm.

Lunch passed uneventfully for Beth. Aside from what she hoped was a not too obvious distraction, she superficially participated in the conversation when required even though her thoughts were solely occupied by the man sitting across from her. Avoiding direct eye contact at all costs, she snuck glances at him throughout the meal looking for any sign that he was as affected as she was but with no success; the man was a statue. When his eyes settled on hers, she realized she had begin to stare and darted her eyes away. It seemed like the business discussion was set aside for the time being as her father began to question the gentlemen on more personal matters.

"So, Darcy, do you have any other business keeping you in the city? Or is it just for Charles, here?" Jim asked.

"Not especially. My sister is at Columbia so I'm trying to spend some time with her before I leave," Darcy responded, his face softening at the mention of his sister.

"Oh, very nice. I didn't know you had a sister."

"Yes, Georgiana is ten years younger than I am so I try to keep her separated from my work and the press that goes along with it."

"Well that's very good. You are more than welcome to bring her to our Charity Ball if you would like. Unless you had someone else in mind."

Darcy's eyes flashed to Beth for a moment, recalling her statement about finding a 'tolerable date,' and where that conversation and subsequently led.

"Thank you, sir. I will keep that suggestion in mind."

"You should bring her, Darcy. It's not like anyone else is going to want to go with you," Charles joked at his friend.

"There are plenty of people who would be more than willing to go," Darcy stated as a matter of fact.

"Yes, but not for your winning personality." That joke earned Charles a laugh from everyone else at the table and a cold stare from Darcy, suggesting an end to this line of discussion.

"So where does business take you next, Darcy?" Jim redirected the conversation as it was clear Mr. Darcy was not too thrilled with its present location.

"Probably Singapore. There are several promising business opportunities there that I'd like to explore, but I have a few commitments that I need to finish out in the city first before I leave. I'm hoping to be there by the end of the year," Mr. Darcy offered in an unusual display of forthcomingness. Beth thought that Mrs. DeBourgh should have just hired her father, for all the information he was able to get out of Mr. Intolerable.

"The tax incentives that they offer business owners to come there and start business is really doing wonders for their economy. I think Asia is definitely the up-and-coming area to be for entrepreneurs," Beth interjected, trying to focus her mind on bland facts instead of her feelings.

At her statement, his mask faltered again in surprise at what she had said. She wasn't an idiot, really, what did he think of her?

"Are you planning on moving to Singapore to start your own PR firm, Miss Bennett?" Mr. Darcy asked her directly.

"Not quite. I've done several events and pieces for clients who are expanding their businesses into Singapore and have discussed the issue at length with them. Does it surprise you that I know a little something about the business world, Mr. Darcy?" she challenged him with a little more attitude than she meant. Unwilling to back down however, she met his gaze with fortitude and prepared for the worst. At her comment, his demeanor cracked and that spark of anger and desire flashed in his eyes for a brief moment.

"Of course he's not, Beth!" interjected Charles, "You are one of the top publicists in the country. I'm sure many people and their businesses wouldn't be where they are without you, not to mention everything that you do for the firm - it's quite an accomplishment. You and Jane are some of the smartest people I know. Don't mind Darcy, if he was easily impressed then it might force him to lighten up - heaven forbid."

"I can't afford to be easily impressed. Nowadays, even participation is considered an accomplishment. There are only a handful of people whom I would consider truly accomplished," Darcy explained.

"Well, I'm surprised with the achievements necessary to acquire your measure of 'accomplished,' that you even have a handful of people to consider," Beth retorted with the appearance of jest to the rest of the table, however, Mr. Intolerable knew she had meant it; his lips thinned and his eyes darkened.

Before the conversation took a wrong turn, Mr. Bennett suggested that Beth take Jane back home to recuperate for the rest of the day while he went over the purchase contract with Charles and Darcy.

The girls said their goodbyes; Charles promising to call Jane later to see how she was feeling. Mr. Darcy didn't speak to her again, just a brief nod of his head before he turned to cross the street back over to the office.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"Are you ok, Beth?" Jane asked as soon as they walked in their apartment door. "You were really antagonizing Mr. Darcy at lunch. What's going on?"

Beth sighed, still in disbelief about the words that were about to come out of her mouth.

"Mr. Darcy kissed me," she stated bluntly as she plopped down on the couch, staring off into space.

"Wait, what? Oh my gosh. Why? Are you ok?"

Unable to look Jane in the eyes as she relayed the entire incident, Beth rose from the couch and went into the kitchen to pour herself a glass of wine. Who cares if it was only three o'clock - she needed it. As she sipped her Pinot, she told Jane everything that had happened at the firm earlier.

"I just don't get it. One minute, I'm tolerable. The next he is kissing me; and then not even an hour later, he is staring daggers at me, shocked that I know anything about the world we live in, and then insinuating that I'm not very accomplished. My brain can't figure out what he is trying to accomplish."

Jane sat there for a moment, processing everything that she had said. "And he didn't say anything about the kiss? Or his comment?"

"Nope. Not even a hint of an apology or explanation."

"Hmm. That is really weird. He does seem like an odd man, very reserved and secretive. He seems like he shields himself from everyone but I imagine all of those emotions build up and erupt at some point."

"That's one way of putting it; I mean have we ever heard anyone call him by his first name? Even Charles calls him Darcy. I wonder if he lets anyone in - not that anyone would want to be let in considering how proud and prejudiced he is. Still, I can understand the reserved part; I just don't understand how you can go for barely tolerating someone to kissing them. I can't think about it anymore. My brain has been going around in circles for hours now. I don't even know how I'm going to be able to be around him anymore," Beth said as a whole new wave of anxiety came over her at the thought.

"Well why don't we stay home tomorrow and take a day for you to gain some space?"

"I don't know. Things seem to be really great between you and Charles, he's definitely really, really into you. I'd hate to keep you from him."

"It will be fine. Do you really think that he likes me though?"

"Are you kidding? He's practically obsessed. I mean you could give him a little more encouragement," Beth suggested. She could tell her sister really liked Charles, but Jane was more reserved when it came to showing affection - maybe because of her personality or because she didn't want to put herself too far out there and get her hopes up.

"I know, I should," Jane admitted. "I just get afraid that I'm imagining it or something and that if I seem to interested, I'll be let down again."

"I know, but you need to start reciprocating, otherwise he might get the complete opposite impression and think that you don't care at all."

Jane acknowledged her point. Their conversation continued for some time, fluctuating between Charles and Mr. Darcy. The rest of the day passed quickly and Beth decided that her sister was right, she should work from home tomorrow to regroup and emotionally prepare herself to face him again. She would stay home tomorrow and send Mrs. DeBourgh all the information she had gleaned today; if Anne wanted Mr. Intolerable, she could have him.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Beth was never one to back down from a challenge, but she had to admit that taking the day to work from home was a welcome relief. As Jane had suggested, she called her dad that morning and said she was going to stay home with Jane today to help her recover and make sure she was taking it easy and not putting too much pressure on her ankle. She made Jane breakfast, and forced her to stay on the couch and off her feet even though she said her ankle was feeling much better this morning.

Trying her best to not continue to think about the incident that had kept her up all night and invaded her dreams, she got right to work. She first sent a quick email off to Phil, just checking in and letting him know that everything was going well at the firm and that she would keep him posted with any details on the DeBourgh account. She knew she didn't really have to check in, that Phil trusted her to get the job done right but she always felt an internal obligation to keep him in the loop. With that sent, she touched base with some of the vendors for Longbourne's Charity Ball to make sure everything was on schedule. Even though she was a publicist by trade, she had been moonlighting as the event planner for Longbourne for almost seven years now. She had to admit that she enjoyed the details and the organization slightly more than she enjoyed actually attending the events she planned. She also composed a few PR pieces to send to local media as well as some social media posts to promote the charity event. All in all, it didn't take very long since she'd been doing these tasks for the firm the past several years. She enjoyed working with her father on certain things, but she didn't know how Jane could work _for_ him. Beth was far too independent and determined to make her own mark to ever have considered working at the family firm, in spite of how many times it was proposed.

After a blessed two hours of mind-numbing distraction, Beth was forced to redirect her thoughts to the one man who had previously dominated them. Bringing up a new email to be sent directly to Mrs. DeBourgh, Beth distilled all of the information - or lack thereof - that she had learned the day before.

 _Mrs. DeBourgh,_

 _Please see below some of my preliminary findings on the topic we discussed earlier this week:_

 _•_ _Mr. D. to be in town until the rest of the summer - but wants to leave as soon as his commitments are completed_

 _•_ _Mr. D. heading to Singapore by the end of the year_

 _•_ _Mr. D. does not appear to be in a relationship at this time however this question wasn't posed directly to him_

 _•_ _Mr. D. only social engagement is the Longbourne Charity Ball in 2 weeks_

 _I will endeavor to continue my accumulation of details surrounding his stay. If there is anything else I can do for you, please advise._

 _Kind regards,_

 _Beth Bennett_

Sent. She was tempted to include a post-script asking if Mrs. DeBourgh had any idea if Darcy was bipolar but she decided against it; or maybe he had schizophrenia, THAT would explain his erratic actions; she laughed to herself as she closed her laptop and headed to the kitchen to make them salad for lunch.

"What's so funny?" Jane asked from the couch.

"Just thinking that maybe Mr. Darcy has some sort of psychological disorder to explain his contradictory actions."

"Oh Beth, I don't think that's it." Unsurprisingly, Jane began her defense of Mr. Darcy since she was programmed to always think the best of everyone. "I think he likes you, he just doesn't know how to show it. He's all business, all the time - kind of like you."

"Hey! Whose side are you on here? Plus, I was just kidding - for the most part - about the mental disorder," Beth retorted.

"You know what I mean. It's even the same for me. When you don't spend a lot of time pursuing romantic relationships or even acknowledging those feelings, it's hard to convey them properly." Jane set down her book and hobbled out to the kitchen. "I thought about what you said last night, about me, and not being more encouraging or reciprocating of Charles' feelings and you were right. I just don't do this a lot, and I've definitely never felt like this before."

"But that's a good thing! Don't let it scare you."

"I know, but I didn't bring this up to talk about me. I thought about it and maybe Mr. Darcy is having a similar problem. He likes you but he doesn't know how to pursue you." Jane sat on one of the bar stools at the counter as Beth finished up their salads.

"Except for the fact that he thinks I'm just 'tolerable.'" Beth put Jane's apple and walnut salad in front of her and began to eat her own.

"Well, yes, I haven't quite figured out how that fits in yet but maybe he's just not good with words, maybe it meant something different to him," she concluded as she began to eat.

"I guess it's possible, but I just don't think it's probable. It's much more likely that he has some sort of mental disorder," Beth joked as her sister shook her head.

After they finished eating, Jane hobbled back onto the couch, grabbed her book and told Beth she was going to take a hot shower. Beth finished cleaning up the dishes, her mind wandering over what her sister had said about Mr. Darcy.

Aside from their kiss, she could have sworn that there was no way he liked her; he barely acknowledged her and when he did it was in a very condescending and cold way. Not that he was an especially warm person in general but he certainly wouldn't be treating her worse than he treated most other people. But then, there was that kiss. She let down her guard and allowed herself to relive it, moment by moment; the way he had gripped her, forcing almost every part of them into contact, the light play of his fingers at her sides a stark contrast to how intensely he was kissing her. Her body began to warm as the memories flooded her until she heard a sharp knock at the door. Assuming it must be either her mother or father coming to check on Jane, since they were the only other people with keys to their building, Beth walked over to the door not bothering to look through the peep hole and opened it.

"Good afternoon, Miss Bennett."

Beth stood, dumbstruck, as she processed that it was Mr. Darcy standing in her door holding a very large bouquet of white tulips. The sight was almost comical. The softness of the white flowers, set starkly against the hard, handsome man holding them. Even though he looked like he hadn't slept well, he was still the most beautiful man Beth had ever seen. As always, he was still impeccably dressed in a tailored black suit and grey tie. His dark brown hair parted, with every strand fixed perfectly into place, his mouth in a straight line, with no perceptible facial expression. She hadn't realized she was staring so intently with her mouth gaped open until his eyebrows started to raise in question.

"How did you get in here?" She winced, realizing that was not the greeting she was going for.

Unfazed by her bluntness, he smiled deviously and nonchalantly responded, "I own the building."

 _Of course he did._

"I'm sorry, I'm being rude. Would you care to come in? How can I help you?" Beth opened the door wider and stepped to the side.

Again, that pained expression passed over his face before it was suppressed and with a slight nod he stepped into their apartment.

"I apologize for intruding. Charles sent me to deliver these flowers and a letter to Jane. He insisted that it needed to be done in person." Darcy handed the tulips, which there must have been at least two dozen, over to Beth.

"Oh. That's very nice of him; and nice of you to agree to bring them."

"I didn't think you would be here." Again, with the ambiguously insulting statements. Beth wasn't sure if he saw her presence as a good or a bad thing. Why couldn't he just say what he meant?

"Well, let me just put these in water and I'll pass them on to Jane. She's in the shower at the moment." Beth walked into the kitchen, grabbed two vases from the cabinet and split the flower between them.

"He also sent this note." Darcy set the envelope down on the counter, _Jane_ written on the outside.

Beth picked up the envelope, gave Mr. Intolerable a pointed look, and opened it right in front of him. _What was she doing?_ She never would have opened something addressed to Jane, not that Jane would care, but in that moment all she wanted was to see that man's impenetrable reserve crack and have some sort of emotional response to her. She glanced up at him from underneath her lashes; she had definitely surprised him. He didn't say anything as she opened the envelope but his eyes widened in shock and his mouth had parted slightly. Watching his mouth derailed her thoughts right back to the moment before he kissed her, remembering what that mouth was capable of. His mouth closed, his lips set in a grim line; that slight movement jarring her from her memories and she quickly raised her eyes to meet his gaze. His eyes were a molten chocolate as he leveled her with a disapproving stare, clearly struggling to restrain himself from taking the envelope back and scolding her.

 _Well this is fun._

Unrelenting, Beth raised her eyebrows at him, daring him to make a comment; when he continued to just stare, she smirked and pulled the note out of the envelope to read it.

"Miss Bennett, I believe Charles intended that for Jane to read," is what he said. _'I'm going to have to punish you if don't set it down,'_ is what he looked like he meant.

"Have you read it?" she countered, deliberately trying to provoke him.

"That is not the point," he ground out.

"Well if he allowed you to read it, I am sure that, as Jane's sister, I should be afforded equal consideration." She began to unfold the note and the next thing she knew, Mr. Intolerable had backed her up against the wall, grabbed her wrists and held them hostage above her head. His face right next to her left ear, she heard his labored breathing.

"Miss Bennett, I must insist that you allow your sister to read the note first," he said so quietly as his lips had come to rest on her ear.

"Mr. Darcy, I must insist that you let me go. You can't control me!"

She heard a soft chuckle in her ear. "Oh, you have no idea how I could. How I would," he said cryptically as he took her earlobe between his teeth and bit down lightly. "If you were mine, I would have you face down on the counter to reprimand you properly." As if to ensure that his point was well understood, his left hand reached around to rest on her ass; his thumb tracing lazy circles on her yoga pants.

Her body was on fire. Her mind was in a fog again, consumed by him - his words, his smell, his touch. Her head fell back against the wall and she moaned softly. She heard a strangled groan escape him before his walls crumbled. His right hand released her wrists as it moved to support her head as his lips came crashing down on hers. Her mouth opened in shock and his tongue took advantage of the invitation.

Beth was completely lost. There was a storm of desire engulfing her and he was the only solid ground that she was able to cling to. She heard him groan and his kiss became more fervent. Her arms had somehow made their way around his neck as she buried her fingers in his perfectly sculpted hair. Her senses were on fire. She would have melted to the floor if she hadn't been wedged between Darcy and the wall as her knees gave way. The immediacy and intensity of their desire was like a match hitting gasoline - they both were instantly consumed. The onslaught to each of her senses was almost unbearable. Everything about his kiss was what she remembered; everything right down to his ability to disengage from her in an instant and appear as if nothing had happened, as they heard Jane from down the hall.

"Beth, is someone here?"

Beth leaned back against the wall, fairly certain she wasn't stable enough to stand on her own. Through the fog of desire that was rapidly dissipating she responded, "Mr. Darcy came to see you with a gift from Charles."

"Oh, ok! I'll just be a minute." They heard the door shut as Jane went into her room.

Beth closed her eyes and took a deep breath, mentally and physically steadying herself for the awkward confrontation that was sure to follow. Her legs felt like jelly and her lips felt bruised. It took effort to open her eyelids and look at the man responsible. Far from the statuesque figure she expected to see, she was surprised to see a myriad of emotions play across his face. He met her gaze, his eyes still infused with desire, as if it was taking all his willpower to not push her right back up against the kitchen wall, but he quickly turned his head and looked away. His face was drawn tight, his hand pulling at his already messed hair as if there was a battle going on inside him.

She wished she could go to him, comfort him, but knew that that would be the last thing he would respond to. He intended to keep his pain, and every other emotion except desire, discreetly locked away. Beth pushed herself off the wall and took a step toward him, unsure of what she was going to do, just feeling like she had to be near him. At her movement, his eyes darted to her as he stepped back. Hurt by his sudden need to distance himself, Beth recoiled and hugged her arms across her body at which point she realized that she was no longer holding Charles' note. A quick scan revealed it had fallen to the floor unharmed during embrace. She bent down and picked up the note, she glanced at Darcy and found him watching her intently to see what she would do. Unmotivated to continue her game, she turned toward the counter and placed the note back into the envelope. Jogged back into reality, Darcy quickly combed his finger through his hair and righted his clothes, the emotion slowly dissolving away from his face. In moments he had returned to the stoic statue that was his norm.

As soon as Beth had worked up the nerve to not let another passionate encounter pass by without any explanation, she heard Jane's footsteps coming rapidly down the hall. Sighing to herself, she picked up a vase of flower and the card just as Jane entered the room.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Darcy. Sorry for taking so long, Beth. You should have yelled to me that we had company."

Sparing Beth the need to respond, Mr. Darcy continued, "I just stopped by to drop of flowers and a note from Charles. He wanted them delivered in person and I was instructed to wait for your response."

With a blush and a smile, Jane walked up to Beth's outstretched hands to take the envelope and smell the flowers.

"They are beautiful." She opened the envelope, glancing at Beth when she noticed that the seal was already broken but let it go when she saw Beth's almost imperceptible shake of the head. She pulled out the note and read it to herself, her blush becoming deeper and her smile becoming wider.

She handed the note to Beth and took the vase of flowers to set them on their dining table.

"Can I read it, Jane?"

"Of course. He's really so sweet and these flowers are gorgeous."

She glanced at Darcy before opening the card and attempting to read Charles' chicken scratch.

 _Jane,_

 _I hope you are_ doing ok _feeling better and that these_ flowers _tulips brighten your day like you do mine. Would it be too forward of me to ask to take the blame for your fall? I would just like to be able to tell everyone how you fell for me like I've fallen for you._

 _Yours,_

 _Charles_

 _PS - I look forward to seeing you tomorrow._

Beth smiled to herself at the corny but heartfelt note. He clearly spent some time thinking about what to say; the handwriting started off clear and then got sloppier as it looked like he rushed to capture his thoughts on paper; he also crossed out a few phrases and reworded. It was heartwarming to see his whole thought process evolve on paper.

"Jane, that's adorable what he wrote. Although quite a challenge to decipher it. I wonder if he writing is always this bad."

"It's much better than most of the lawyers' notes I have to read. Good thing we transitioned to office email."

"Have you read the letter, Mr. Darcy?" Her question repeated from earlier earned her a sharp glare as his right hand flexed apparently itching to make good on his threat from earlier.

"Charles always writes haphazardly. Usually he writes so quickly that he forgets a word here or there and that's in addition to the phrases he crosses out and rewords." Ignoring her question completely so as to admit that he had read it, Mr. Darcy opened up about Charles to entice Jane back into the conversation.

"I think it's endearing," Jane said as she held and re-examined the words. "Please tell Charles that I will happily put him at fault for my fall and that the tulips are breathtaking. And thank you again for taking the time to bring these to me."

"Of course." With that, Darcy turned towards the door, pausing as his eyes locked with Beth's. "Miss Bennett," he said to her softly that Jane didn't even hear him.

For the second time this week, Beth watched as the most confusing, frustrating, and intolerably desirous man she had ever met leave with no explanation to her for his actions.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Jane didn't say anything after Mr. Darcy left, knowing that Beth would tell her when she was ready. Luckily, their mom chose that moment to call Jane and check on her which allowed Beth to retreat to her bedroom to decompress from what had happened. As she walked by her closet mirror, she caught a glimpse of herself and shuddered. Yoga pants, a grungy t-shirt, and a messy top knot was not a recipe for seduction. _What could have possibly enticed him about this?_

She sat on her bed, replaying everything moment by moment. She had provoked him, she knew that, but she was only trying to get some sort of emotion out of him; she didn't mean for him ravish her in her own kitchen with her sister in the room next door. She leaned over and grabbed her phone that was charging on her nightstand. _How was it almost four o'clock?_ Unlocking her phone, she saw that she had a new email; thinking it was just Phil getting back to her, she opened up Mail and realize that Mrs. DeBourgh had emailed her back. _How had she forgotten about that woman?_ Even though it was probably the last thing she should worry about right now, she couldn't help herself from opening the message.

 _Miss Bennett,_

 _Anne and I will expect to receive our invitations to your Charity Ball within the week. I will need to know if he is bringing a date. I look forward to more updates on this in the very near future._

 _Regards,_

 _Mrs. DeBourgh_

This woman is unbelievable, inviting herself and her daughter to her family's charity event. How was she going to explain these guests to her father? The reality was that he probably wouldn't even know, since her and Jane were the ones who kept track of the responses; but that wasn't the point. The presumption of Mrs. DeBourgh was shocking; she must really have her sights set on Mr. Darcy.

"Beth, are you ok?" Jane asked, quietly knocking on her door.

"I'm fine. You can come in." She put her phone down, preparing for the conversation ahead.

"Hey, are you sure you're ok? I don't mean to bother you but mom wants us to come to dinner on Friday."

"Alright, that's fine. I'm ok, just a little shaken up. I stayed home today so I wouldn't have to deal with Darcy and then he showed up and now I'm all flustered again."

"Do you want to talk about it? It looked like I had interrupted something; I'm sorry if I did. If you don't want to talk about it, we can always talk about Charles and his bad handwriting." Her attempt to make Beth laugh was heartwarming. She really did love her sister.

"Yes. And no. I don't know. He showed up with the flowers and the note, and I was still so mad about what happened yesterday that I deliberately started to irritate him by opening up the note and threatening to read it before giving it to you; I'm so sorry." She gave her sister a pleading look before resting her forehead in her hands. "I didn't read it though, I just opened and took it out of the envelope. I don't know what came over me but then he kissed me and kept kissing me for a while until we heard you yell from the bathroom; then it was like nothing had happened again - for him, at least. I was in a complete fog and just when I was lucid enough to confront him about, well, everything, you came into the kitchen and I didn't get the chance.

Seeing her sister's dismay at that statement, she quickly reassured her, "It's not your fault, Jane. It's all his fault - and mine for being pathetically consumed by him." Beth burst into tears. It wasn't that she was that sad, she just felt so overwhelmed by everything and these feelings that she had never experienced before. Jane quickly grabbed the tissue box off the nightstand and sat by her sister on the bed, handing her a tissue.

"I'm so sorry, B, but I'm sure it will be ok. Men are confusing and stupid and can never just acknowledge their feelings like a grown-up. I know you don't want to believe me, but I'm positive that Mr. Darcy likes you, in spite of how he acts and what he says sometimes. I don't know if that's what you want or need to hear right now and God knows I'm not the most astute person when it comes to interpreting men's feelings for myself, but it's obvious to me that you've gotten underneath his skin." Beth had stopped crying, her momentary meltdown releasing the pent-up anxiety that had been building from the emotional rollercoaster that Darcy had put her on these past few days. Jane continued to sit and comfort her, letting her positive thoughts lighten the mood. "Mr. Darcy isn't like Charles, whose emotions are clearly written all over his face; he is completely inexpressive ninety-nine percent of the time except when you are around. I can only speculate what emotions you make him feel, but anyone can see that he feels something because his guard comes down. Plus, he's probably one of the most powerful, richest men in the world, anyone could have delivered those flowers to me today; even with a request from Charles, if Mr. Darcy didn't want to come here, he wouldn't have. I think he wanted to see you."

"I know. It's just hard to believe because he's so reticent. This is why I've steered clear of men for so long; less than a week of becoming semi-involved - or whatever this is - and I'm already turning into a complete mess." Beth used a tissue to dry her eyes and then began to rub her wrists where Darcy had held them so tightly, wondering if they would bruise. Forcing herself to move on, she stood up from the bed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to fall apart on you there. I was just a little overwhelmed but I think my initial strategy was right, even though it was sabotaged today; I need some space away from him and this whole situation because this emotional wreck just isn't me."

"It's ok. I'm here for you whatever you need. I'm sure I can work from home the next few days if you want some company."

"No, I'll be ok. I need some time to sort out my feelings for Darcy and once I figure that out, I have a bunch of work stuff to keep my mind busy."

"Alright, well I don't think either of us feel like cooking now so why don't I order in some Chinese food and then I think Bridget Jones' Diary is on Netflix that we can watch tonight if you want."

"Sounds good. I'm going to shower." As much as she loved her sister, she needed some time to be alone and process well, everything.

She went into their bathroom and began to undress. Boy, did she look a sight. Her face looked completely ravaged - first by desire, then by anger, confusion, and frustration, and finally by exhaustion. Her lips were still slightly swollen, her hair in complete disarray. She smelled him as she pulled her t-shirt over her head; his scent embedded in the fabric from being in such close contact.

Stepping into the shower that was borderline scalding immediately relaxed her. Taking in deep breaths of the hot steam she began to wash her hair. All this emotion over a guy wasn't like her at all. She had goals, plans, and had purposely shut out (for the most part) relationship with the other sex because she knew it would detract from her ambitions. It wasn't that she hadn't had relationships in the past, but they were never anything serious and she always ended them before they even really got started; it was easier that way. She hadn't been in a relationship in almost two and a half years and she was beginning to regret that decision, realizing how unprepared it made her for what was happening now. Now, she was overwhelmed with all these emotions that she'd had no experience with for the past two years.

She knew she desired him, it was pointless to deny it; she also knew that she had never experienced such complete, unbridled desire like this with anyone before. That was part of what scared her, the intensity of how much she desired him because she lost complete control over herself when it was released.

He also irritated her beyond words. His entire proud and snobby demeanor really grated her. And then there was how he treated her; she'd never felt more inclined to rub her accomplishments and knowledge in someone's face. No other guy had ever treated her like that, which might be why none of them ever lasted; they all admired her for what she accomplished but never gave her the sense that they expected her to do more or that they wanted her to have goals for herself. Darcy irritated her because he had such high expectations of everyone, including her, that all she wanted to do was push to exceed them.

 _Wow._ It was like a light-bulb had just clicked in her mind. Darcy was the first person to expect from her what she expected from herself. Sure, her family and friends were supportive and proud of what she had done and what she wanted to do but no one expected more from her in a way that pushed her to become a better person. Beth turned off the shower as a semblance of peace came over her, realizing why she was so drawn to him. Darcy challenged her and that's why she instinctively always felt the need to, not just prove herself, but challenge him back.

Beth grabbed her towel and stepped out of the shower, feeling completely relaxed and drained. After everything that had happened and all her mind had had to process, she was ready to eat some comfort food and get some sleep. She left her thoughts of Darcy alone, comforted knowing that she would most certainly see him later in her dreams.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Beth spent the rest of the week working mostly from home. She stopped in at her office on Wednesday to let Phil know how the meeting with Mrs. DeBourgh went and what she expected of Beth. She left out the part about spying on Mr. Darcy - and how that was the whole reason they had secured her business in the first place. That day she also received another email from Mrs. DeBourgh 'thanking' her for the invitations to Longbourne's Charity Ball and RSVPing for herself and her daughter.

Overall, she wouldn't say it was an unproductive week working from home. She kept herself on a tight schedule; she woke up early and either went to the gym in their apartment building or did yoga, dealt with any guest responses or vendor questions about the ball, ate lunch, checked her work emails and edited PR pieces her assistants sent over to be released to the news outlets at the beginning of next week. Mostly, she was proud of little she allowed herself to think about Mr. Darcy. Well, she told herself it was only a little.

The day after he had shown up at their apartment, she deliberately took the morning to decide how she was going to handle her feelings for him, determined to approach this problem rationally. The reality was that she was intensely attracted to him and there was just no way she was able to ignore that. Accepting that fact meant she just needed to decide how to handle any future romantic encounters, both physically and emotionally. She figured she had two options, completely avoid Mr. Darcy at all costs or acknowledge that just because they might end up physically involved didn't mean she had to let her emotions become attached. Option number one was pretty much infeasible because of her family and professional obligations - which left her with option number two. Option number two really wasn't so bad when she thought about it; it was basically what all her previous relationships had boiled down to. Granted, she seemed to get along with those men better than she did with Darcy, but she had still kept her feelings aside so that they couldn't compromise her personal goals. Plus, the man's personality was completely intolerable to the point where she felt secure believing it an impossibility for her to even like him, let alone love him. She could enjoy the pleasure she experienced with him for what it was and keep her emotions to herself; especially since he was capable of doing it, then so could she.

The highlights of her days were seeing Jane come home from work, just glowing from spending so much time with Charles. It seemed like their relationship was progressing pretty rapidly, and Jane was completely head over heels. In spite of her deliberate attempts for the first day to keep the conversations focused on Charles and Jane, when Thursday rolled around Beth couldn't help but inquire about Mr. Darcy.

"So was Mr. Darcy there this week?"

"He was. He met with dad a lot to go over some final details about the purchase price and payments and things like that but he was there." When Beth didn't respond, Jane continued with the observations she knew her sister was really wondering about. "On Wednesday, he really didn't look well. Not that I've been around him all that often but compared to the other times when we have met, he was a mess; he looked like he had been up all night and even though his clothes and hair and everything was still perfect, his mind was all over the place. Before, he would disinterestedly stare off into the distance during conversations, but Wednesday he had a blank stare as if he was lost in his own thoughts; he wouldn't answer when Charles would address him and asked him to repeat several questions. It was just very unlike him."

"Oh." Beth felt her insides begin to tingle at the thought that it was because of her that he was so distraught. _Served him right._

"And he asked about you."

"Wait, what? What did he say? What did you say?"

"Well, Charles wanted to speak with dad alone in his office, so that left Mr. Darcy and I alone for a few minutes. He was very awkward at first, you know how he is, asking me questions about my job and working for family, about our younger sisters and if they wanted to work for the firm; and that led him to questions about you, what you liked to do, if you liked your job, things like that. I think he thought I would just assume the questions were to be polite and not notice that he had subversively guided the conversation onto you, but it was obvious he wanted to know more about you."

 _Don't get excited, Beth. You don't care what he thinks or how he feels about you._ She tried to keep reminding herself of that even though she was powerless to stop the rush of pleasure that swept through her, knowing that he was interested in her and not just attracted to her body.

"What did you tell him?"

"Mostly general stuff about your work and how achieving your goals is so important to you. That you have a very strong and determined personality, which he said he had already gathered; he said that you had impressed him." She paused here to look at Beth, who looked like she was about to faint.

"He said what?" Beth choked out. Mr. Intolerable continued to leave her speechless even when he wasn't physically here.

"Well, it almost seemed like he hadn't meant to say it out loud. He had started to drift off into his own world when I began to talk about you, he closed his eyes and start to rub his forehead like he had a headache, and when I stopped talking he kind of stared right through me and quietly said that you had truly impressed him. I was shocked too based on everything that you've told me he's said and done so far, so I said that you were one of the most impressive people I had ever met and that you would be happy to hear that he agreed." Jane paused here to give Beth a quick smile as she got up to go make them a cup of tea.

 _How does one go from 'tolerable' to 'truly impressive'?_ She hadn't done anything except kiss him. Her guard down, she felt proud that she had impressed him. Proud and excited, which was new for her because she had never cared about impressing men. She was confident in who she was, whether they wanted to appreciate her or not; but knowing that Darcy did gave her a sense of satisfaction that she had never experienced before.

As Jane began heating the water as she continued her story, "At that point, he seemed to come back to reality and seemed to regret his compliment because he quickly asked me if any of our other sisters were as headstrong as you - like he was trying to distract me from what he had said. I told him that you must have been adopted because unlike the rest of us, you weren't willing to be dominated by anyone; you make your own path to success and aren't content to just docilely follow others." Jane's light humor pulled Beth from her preoccupation with Mr. Darcy's comment. She shook her head and laughed as Jane placed a cup of green tea before her on the counter.

"Is that all you had to say about me? What did he say after that?" Beth jokingly asked.

"Well, by the time I said that, Charles just got back and our conversation was interrupted. I hope I said the right thing. He seemed more agitated after I said that, but maybe it was just that Charles had returned."

"Haha, there is no right or wrong thing. I don't care what he thinks of me." _Except she was really starting to and it was a problem._

 _Why did she care so much what he thought of her?_ It's not like she was overwhelmed by his billionaire status and wanted to impress him for his money; and she certainly wasn't thrilled with his personality thus far. _And if she did impress him, why was he so rude and cold to her? Why could he admit this to Jane but not find one pleasant thing to say to her in person?_ After all of her rational thinking and planning, here she was watching as her feelings became entangled with this man without him even present. The amount of pleasure she received from hearing about his compliment was soon stifled by her aggravation with herself; for the first time she realized that she had wanted to impress him, wanted to show him that she wasn't just like everyone else - blinded by his status and fortune, and put a dent in his arrogance and egotism. Jane was right, she wanted to dominate him. She wanted Mr. Intolerable to look up to her with respect so that she could bring him down a notch or two for his imprudent comment about her being barely 'tolerable'; she wanted him to realize that she was his equal.

Realizing that she had been quiet for a few minutes, she took a sip of her tea and asked Jane, _"_ Why didn't you tell me this yesterday?"

"Well, I didn't know where your head was at and I didn't want to bring him up if you were just trying to move past the whole situation. I'm sorry. I knew I should have said something. I just didn't want to upset you; I've just never seen you get upset over a guy before." The remorse on her sister's face told her that she was truly sorry, not that Beth would have thought anything different - Jane was an open book.

Not wanting to discuss her earlier resolution regarding Mr. Darcy or how he had just shattered it with one compliment, Beth redirected their conversation back to Charles and asked if Jane would be seeing him the following day. Thankfully, Jane didn't prod her about what she had decided to do about Mr. Darcy. Unlike the other women in their family, Jane listened to help and support her, not to get caught up in some new drama.

"Well, I think he will be at the office tomorrow, but he will definitely be at dinner tomorrow night. Mom has been texting and calling me every 10 minutes about the menu and the table settings and what drinks to serve and what she should wear. I think I'm beginning to see her like you do!" She joked even though she was incapable of such an opinion.

She should have known that Charles and Mr. Darcy would be invited to their family dinner, but her mind wasn't in the most stable place these past few days. Preparing herself for what she already knew the answer to be, she asked Jane if Mr. Darcy was also invited to dinner tomorrow night.

"Yes and I'd be prepared for mom to be on her matchmaking game, if I were you. Are you going to be ok? I can always tell them you are sick or something." Jane's face grew concerned as she realized Beth didn't know that Mr. Darcy was planning on being there.

"No, it's ok. I will never hear the end of it from mom if I don't go. I'll be fine." _She hoped._

"Well, if you want me to put my purse outside your door so that you can trip over it and hurt yourself, just let me know. I'll bring the doctor's note with me and everything to exculpate you."

Beth chuckled as Jane made her way down the hall to her room. _As if one mind-altering surprise hadn't been enough tonight, now she was going to have to see Mr. Intolerable tomorrow._ She had planned on at least having through the weekend before having to see him again, although at least this was in a public setting. If you had asked her this morning if she was ready to confront him, she would have unhesitatingly replied 'yes', now though, she wasn't sure.

This morning, she comforted herself knowing that while Darcy was attracted to her physically, he clearly didn't like her. That scenario she could handle. Now, with his admission to Jane, everything had changed; all her emotions she had been able to justify suppressing were now flooding her brain and all she could think was, _he likes me. I want him to like me._


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

As if dinner that night wasn't going to be interesting enough, when Jane got home from work she informed Beth that Bill Collins had come into the office earlier that day; they hadn't been expecting him back until Monday. He had stopped in to pick up a few things that afternoon so Mr. Bennet had to revise his plans on how to break the news to him. Thankfully, Charles and Mr. Darcy hadn't been in after lunch so there was no immediate confrontation. However, their father decided that it would be a subject best approached in a more personal environment and so had invited him over for dinner tonight to join the party; he told Bill to come at six o'clock with everyone else was expected at six-thirty; that it would give him some time to have a private discussion with Bill and break the news gently.

"How do you think he's going to take it?" Beth asked as she put on some make-up next to Jane in the bathroom. She was trying to accomplish a smokey-eye but she felt like she was just making herself look like a raccoon. _This is what happens when you try too hard._

"I'm not sure. He's a very unpredictable man when things don't go according to his plan; his temper can get the best of him. I'm hoping that being at our house with our family around will motivate him to react calmly to the news, but I honestly don't know."

Beth hadn't interacted with Mr. Collins more than a handful of times. She was rarely at the firm when he was there, and he wasn't close enough family to be invited to their family functions - not that they had that many. She remembered him being very awkward, unable to decipher social cues, and very temperamental. She could distinctly remember walking down the hall to Jane's office one day and could hear him yelling, from the floor above, at his secretary for double booking a meeting that afternoon. Her father had told her later that night (this was still when she was living at home), that the woman had come to him in tears and he had had to reprimand Bill for such an unprofessional outburst. If such a minor thing as a scheduling mishap could set him off, Beth wasn't sure than a change of environment would be able to contain his anger; that incident was many years ago though and she hadn't heard any more similar stories since, hopefully he had matured a little since then.

Finally deeming her make-up acceptable, she chose to wear her teal jersey wrap dress with nude flats. It had a low v-neck and the material really clung to her chest; that, in combination with her best push-up bra, helped give the impression that she had breasts. It was just short enough to show her toned legs and while very modest when she was standing still, she knew it would cling to her butt when she walked.

 _I'm not trying to impress him, I swear._

She kept repeating that in her head as she stared at herself in the mirror making sure she looked good from every angle. Jane lightly knocked on her doorframe to let her know that she was ready to go. She had chosen to wear a beige shirt dress with brown wedge sandals. Like usual, Jane appeared effortlessly beautiful, while she looked good for an hour's worth of work.

The girls ran a little behind leaving their apartment and arrived at their parents about fifteen minutes late. As they ran up the steps and walked inside, it was clear that their night wasn't the only one not going according to plan. From the moment they walked in, they could hear their mother's voice over all the rest. What they realized as they began to walk down the hall was that the study door was still closed and they could hear Bill's raised voice yelling at Mr. Bennet; that meant that Irene Bennet was left alone to entertain two of the country's most eligible bachelors. Alone.

"Jane, why don't you go in the dining room with mom and keep her in line? I'll interrupt dad and Mr. Collins and try to get them to wrap things up." Trying not to make it too obvious that she was delaying seeing Mr. Darcy for as long as possible to steel her nerves.

Jane nodded as she walked toward the dining room with a big smile lighting up her face, clearly anxious to see Charles.

Beth began to head towards the study. As she rounded the corner, she found herself running directly into something tall, hard, and very male. Her hands quickly came up to his chest to stop her momentum and she felt his hands on her hips, steadying her. She didn't need more than a split second to realize that it was Mr. Darcy whom she had crashed into. Not prepared to have to face him like this, she hesitantly looked up to meet his gaze. His lips were pursed, and his nostrils flared, as he looked at her with the same angry hunger that seem to characterize their close encounters.

"What are you doing?" He asked tightly, not releasing her from his grip.

"Going to check on my father. What are you doing?" She countered.

"Leaving him to talk to Mr. Collins alone."

"Ok, well I'm going to go let them know dinner is ready," she said defiantly.

"They will come when they are done. Let them finish their discussion in private. " To emphasize his command, his fingers tightened on her hips and she let out a small gasp, as heat fired through her. _Here we go again._

"No. I'm going to let them know that we are all here and waiting." She was not going to let him push her around.

"God. Why can't you just do what I say, obstinate woman?" His frustration finally releasing into words.

"Because I don't want—" She was cut off as his mouth crushed hers, wanting to silence her retort. She wasn't shocked by it this time. Her tongue immediately engaged his as they fought for control, devouring each other.

Her hands moved up around his neck, digging into his hair, as his left arm clasped her tightly to him. He maneuvered her up against the wall, his leg driving between her thighs. She moaned into his mouth, the pressure inside her building.

Suddenly there was a loud bang that came from inside the study and they heard raised voices. His mouth immediately broke from hers, his hand quickly covering up the flesh he had exposed. For once he didn't instantly break away from her, his forehead rested on hers as they both struggled to catch their breath.

When she opened her eyes, she saw that his were still shut, his forehead drawn tight. As if realizing she was looking at him, his eyes opened and that familiar anger was there; anger at her or himself, she wasn't sure.

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck." Cursing as he pulled away from her and shoved his hands through his hair.

She stood speechless, again, for the moment it took for him to right himself but she wasn't going to be left stranded again. Just as he turned to walk away and leave her there, she reached out and grabbed his elbow.

"Darcy…"

He spun, looked at her hand where she was holding his arm and then up at her, pain and frustration covering his face. He stared for a moment and then came the words that would crush her, yet again.

"Why can't you just leave me alone?" Even though it was said softly, the vehemence was unmistakable.

Her hand that was holding him fell to her side, as her mouth parted on a painful gasp of air. She felt tears welling in her eyes, but she wouldn't cry here, not in front of him; she wouldn't let him win. The regret and anguish in his eyes matched her own. Running his hands roughly through his hair, he looked back at her almost to say something else but then turned around and stalked away from the hall toward the dining room.

Beth leaned back against the wall. Her throat felt swollen with the tears she was holding back as she struggled to regain her calm. She couldn't do this right now. She needed to get through this dinner and get home. Blinking away the remnants of her tears, she walked up to the closed study door and put her ear against the wood. At this point, she didn't really care about what was going on, she just wanted to interrupt the conversation and get this night over with.

"John, you're a bastard for doing this to me. Of all the low, fucking back-handed —"

"Bill, please, I didn't do this to you, you know that. I had to do what was best for the firm."

"What's best for the firm is keeping it in the goddamn family! It was supposed to be mine, John, and you knew that. I can't believe you didn't discuss this with me, your only senior partner, you just dump the decision on me once it's already been made like I'm a fucking nobody who hasn't been around for ten years."

"Keeping it in the family isn't more important than keeping it alive and successful and I know you want that. You'll keep your position, Bill, it's in the contract. I'm sorry I had to make the decision this way but I knew what your response would be. I'm sorry if you think I've betrayed you, but it's my firm and I have to do what I think is best for it."

"I just can't believe you sold out to Bingley over family. I'm concerned where your loyalties really lie, John." With the sound of resignation in his voice, Beth took that moment to quietly knock on the door, open it and peer inside.

"Dad? Hello, Mr. Collins. I just wanted to let you know that everyone is here and at the table waiting for you both." Mr. Collins looked at her with a mixture of anger and betrayal still lurking in his eyes.

"Thank you, Beth. We will follow you in now."

She turned around and exited the room, followed by a dispirited Mr. Collins and her father. Entering the ornate, formal dining room - with it's Swarovski chandelier and deep mahogany table, Beth saw that her mother had gone all out for tonights dinner; the Waterford crystal glasses, the heirloom silver flatware, and her mother's Wedgwood china had all been precisely arranged. The catering service had come with 2 waiters who stood in formal attire at either ends of the table ready to refill guests' glasses with either more water or wine. Beth noticed all of that detail in the second that it took her gaze to find and lock with Darcy's.

At their entrance, everyone at the table stood to greet the new arrivals. Mr. Bennet began by greeting Charles and Mr. Darcy, shaking their hands and apologizing for keeping them waiting. He subsequently introduced a very bitter Mr. Collins, whose civility was clearly a stretch for him at this point in time. With a mood rivaling that of Mr. Darcy, he barely greeted Mrs. Bennet and the remainder of her siblings before taking his seat between Mary on his left and Mr. Bennet on his right, at the head of the table.

While those introductions were being made, Beth quickly said hello and gave hugs to her younger sisters and her mom, whose excitement for the evening was palpable. Keeping her eyes anywhere else, she made her way to the other side of the table where she saw her chair in between Jane and Mrs. Bennet, who occupied the opposing head of the table. With a quick, knowing glance to Jane, she moved past her to say 'hello' to Charles who greeted her warmly with a hug. As he let go, her heart picked up its beat, knowing that only Mr. Darcy was left.

She moved past Charles and slowly lifted her eyes to his. There was no spark, no flash of desire perceptible in his stare, no remnant of the hunger, anguish, or anger left in his eyes; the calm mask that resided over his perfectly formed face unbroken as he looked over her with the cool air of indifference, like nothing had ever happened. _How was she going to survive this dinner?_

"Mr. Darcy." She tried to match his coldness and then, with a mind of its own, her right hand shot out looking for a handshake, hoping some physical contact would bring back the Darcy she had just experienced; the one before the Darcy who just wanted to be left alone.

 _"_ Miss Bennet," was his unaffected response. He glanced down at her hand and with a slight nod of his head, subsequently turned around to address Mr. Bennet who was about to be seated on his right.

Beth felt all of the air leave her as her body started to burn. Unfortunately, this wasn't the type of burn she usually experienced around Mr. Darcy, except for that first night, this was the heat of embarrassment intensified by the shock of public rejection. _It wasn't bad enough that he told her that he wanted her to leave him alone; now, he couldn't even be civil to her in public view of her family, of all people._ She stared down at her hand in a trance as it began to move back to her side in slow motion. Shaken from her reverie by a light touch on her back, she quickly turn around to see Jane coming to her rescue. Everyone had begun to take their seats and would have left Beth standing dumbstruck if Jane hadn't proceeded to guide her back to her chair.

"Are you ok?" she whispered as they sat down.

"Of course." She plastered a smile on her face.

 _Of course she was fine; she was always fine. This is why she didn't bother with men. Getting her hopes up meant allowing distractions, allowing pain into her life and she didn't have time for that._ That was it. With a resolve, not insubstantially fueled by the shock of both of Darcy's rejections and her consequently overwhelming hate for the man, she put on her own mask and joined cheerfully in Kat and Lydia's conversation across from her, determined to separate herself from the sad version who just wanted to curl up into a ball and cry.

As long as she didn't look at him, she was completely fine. She had made it through the soup and salad with exemplary fortitude; even her mother, who's internal radar for drama could pick up on tension a mile away had no clue that her daughter was so affected by Mr. Darcy.

The two ends of the table seemed to converse amongst themselves; Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bennet involved in general business world discussions with begrudging, and borderline insolent input from Mr. Collins. Thankfully, he seemed a combination of too impressed and afraid of Mr. Darcy's status to say anything completely reprehensible. Beth, her mother, and two youngest sisters chatted about the Charity Ball coming up, the young girls excited to go shopping for something new to wear. Jane and Charles had been in their own little world since they sat down, talking and laughing conspiratorially to each other. Lastly, Mary who sat in the middle listened in on each separate conversation in turn.

When the meal arrived, Mr. Bennet stood to make a toast to Charles and the impending merger.

"Charles, may you take Longbourne to new heights of success as this merger brings our families closer together."

"Cheers!" said everyone except Mr. Collins.

Charles stood, glass in hand to continue the toast. "Thank you John. I hope that I'm able to continue the successful and respected tradition that Longbourne has set for the community. Thank you for welcoming me in like family and making this transition as easy as possible for me. And a special thank you to Jane, who has brightened up my life in so many ways over these past few weeks and who has graciously agreed to be my date to the Charity Ball next weekend." Jane's face turned pink at Charles' words as she smiled up at him, clearly in love.

His eyes narrowing into slits, Mr. Collins' gaze darted quickly back and forth between Jane and Charles as he was just realizing the attraction and relationship that had formed between them. With a careless impertinence, he muttered, "Well that explains how you were able to lure Bingley into such a lucrative settlement," scoffing as he chugged back the last of his wine.

Thankfully, it was only Mr. Bennet and Mr. Darcy who had heard his outrageous insult; Darcy staring for a moment, letting the words sink in before Charles grabbed his attention. Mr. Bennet gave Bill a cold stare and looked like he could have asked him to leave that very moment and not bother returning to work, however, he settled for a stern, "We will discuss this later," and returned to the more light-hearted discussion occurring farther down the table.

Beth looked happily at Jane and Charles after his speech, trying to share in their excitement. She'd never been a jealous person but watching them made her heart ache for something she thought she'd never want - love. Stealing a glance or two at Mr. Intolerable showed his starkly handsome face still devoid of emotion; even though he didn't once look in her direction, she noticed he glanced at Charles and Jane a few times, a strange look of concern mixed with displeasure flickering across his features before it was gone. Tearing her gaze away before the pain in her chest became too much, she willingly talked with her mother about whether this meant Jane and Charles were officially an item or not - a sign of how far she had fallen.

The conversation became more sparse as they proceeded through the main meal and then picked up again once the plates were cleared on the topic of dates for the ball.

"Mom, can Kat and I please be allowed to bring friends? They won't be dates, I promise," Lydia pleaded.

As much as Irene Bennet wanted her daughters married, she thought Lydia and Kat a little too young and wild to be dating the older "friends" that they typically wanted to invite to social functions.

"I don't think so Lydia but you can ask your dad."

"But mom, please please please. It's not fair that everyone else gets to bring a date except us. I promise we will bring someone acceptable."

"Yes, mom. Please. You never let us have any fun," Kat chimed in.

"Ok, fine," Mrs. Bennet snapped, acquiescing mostly because she felt the girls were making a scene in front of some very important company and wanted to shut them up. "But you must run it by your father and I first before you invite anyone."

Beth rolled her eyes as her youngest sister almost jumped out of their seat in excitement. She wished she could impress on them how overrated men were.

"And how about you, Mr. Darcy; have you decided to bring a guest to the party? You could always take Beth, here. She never brings anyone," Mrs. Bennet indecorously asserted with a smile on her face, oblivious to the gentleman's treatment of said daughter thus far.

Beth couldn't believe what was happening. She thought it hadn't been possible to feel any more humiliated with Darcy's blatant disregard for her tonight, but, as always, her mother managed to find a way. Trying to pass it off lightly with a very forced laugh, Beth felt herself turning beet red. Unable to look at the man in question, she glanced at Jane who reached over and squeezed her hand underneath the table.

From the corner of her eye, she peered at Mr. Darcy, who looked almost as shocked by the awkward statement as she was. It took him a moment to recover himself and figure out how to respond to such a degrading comment.

"I appreciate your, err…, concern ma'am, but I already have a guest in mind. Thank you." The last said a bit more forcefully in his attempt to indicate that this discussion was over. Unfortunately, he didn't know that a discussion wasn't over until Irene said so.

"Well I can't say I'm glad to hear that. Are you sure that you've made the right choice?"

"Of course he has, mom," Beth interjected with a sarcastic laugh. "I'm confident that Mr. Darcy _always_ makes the right choice, otherwise he would have to admit fault, which I can't imagine him capable of." Even though it was said under the guise of a joke, Beth meant every word and Darcy knew it. For the first time all evening, his eyes locked with hers as his anger flared; the same anger he'd just released in the hall and the one that wanted to spank her for provoking him the last time. She knew she was pushing his buttons but she was angry and hurt and tormented by the things he had said to her; things that he couldn't bring himself to admit to regretting.

"I didn't become who I am without suppressing any faults as much as possible. When you become this successful, you can't afford any mistakes that someone might use against you to bring you down." A hard stare accompanied the haughty defense of his personality.

"And do you think being too proud is a fault, Mr. Darcy?" She was instigating his temper again, but she was too angry and humiliated to care.

"When you are actual superior in the areas that you are proud of? No, absolutely not."

"Well, then you've convinced me, Mr. Darcy; I believe you to be perfect, completely without fault," she decried with a laugh to hide the tears welling up inside. Before she risked total humiliation by crying in front of everyone, she excused herself to use the ladies room hoping that her abrupt exit wasn't noted with too much interest by the rest of the table. As she walked out of the dining room, she paused as it appeared Mr. Darcy was going to respond to her comment whether or not she was present. Resting her emotionally traumatized body against the wall, she listened to his reply and focused on not crying.

"No, unfortunately, I do have faults. I'll admit my temper has a short fuse which caused me problems more times than I care to count."

"That I can vouch for. I've had to pry him off of a few unfortunate souls in the past," Charles said with a laugh. "Thankfully it has gotten better since our Harvard days."

Beth re-entered the room as everyone was laughing at Charles' comment. Darcy's smile faded as he looked directly at her and said, "I hold very high standards of everyone I meet and tend to judge harshly those who don't exceed them. I also don't believe in second chances; I find I can't forgive a grave mistake of character or action."

"Well, though your faults are limited, it's a shame that they leave you predisposed to see everyone you meet as a disappointment," Beth countered, calmly retaking her seat.

"At least I don't misjudge them."

By that point, the tension between them was palpable and Mrs. Bennet, stunned from the dispute she had provoked, was blessedly silent, unsure of how to redirect the conversation. Thankfully, Mr. Bennet stepped in and suggested, "Gentlemen, why don't we move into the study for some scotch? I'd like to discuss how we announce the merger to the firm and then our most important clients at the Charity Ball."

The men vacated the room, leaving the Bennet women at the table in silence. Beth felt all the strength leave her body in one breath as she watched Darcy walk out of the room. Before her mother regained her thoughts enough to interrogate Beth about what had just happened, Beth stood and said that her and Jane were going to head home. Knowing Beth needed to get out of there, and not wanting to leave her alone, Jane emphatically agreed that she was really tired and wanted to go.

"Are you still coming shopping with us tomorrow?" Lydia asked the oldest sisters as they said their goodbyes.

"Uhh… sure. Where should we meet you?" Beth asked, not wanting to deal with the questions had she refused.

"Well we were thinking of going to Saks for noon and then to Bergdorfs from there if we need more choices."

"Ok, we will see you there," Jane quickly responded as Beth rushed her out of the house.

Jane put her arm around Beth the whole ride home in comfort as she saw her sister's silent tears flow abundantly down her cheeks. Jane knew there was nothing she could say, nothing Beth would want her to say, to make her feel better so she let her cry, made sure she made it inside their apartment, helped her change and remove most of her make-up, and tucked her into bed. Jane heard her sister's sobs through the wall for a half an hour before Beth had finally cried herself to sleep.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

When Beth woke up the next morning it was almost nine o'clock and she still felt like she had been hit by a truck. She looked down to see scars of last night's mascara on her pillow. Pulling the sheets over her head, she turned her face into her pillow and groaned.

 _Don't stay in bed and wallow. You're better than that._

Throwing the covers off her head, she decided what she needed was a good long run. Throwing on her Lululemon running leggings, sports bra, and lightweight tank, she walked out of her room determined to sweat Mr. Darcy out of her system. Realizing that she should probably let Jane know where she was going, she turned around and hearing that the shower was running, knocked on the bathroom door.

"Jane! I'm going for a run. I'll be back. I have my phone."

"Ok! Wait, Beth, we have to be at Saks at noon! Don't forget!"

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be back." She grabbed her water bottle and iPod and headed out the door.

Thankfully at least the weather gods had taken pity on her; even though the sun was shining, it was still slightly cool out, probably in the high sixties; the perfect temperature for running. She headed down Warren Street towards Broadway, hooking a right towards Battery Park. Every fall of her Brooks sneakers on the sidewalk slowly released the stress that had built up inside her.

The first thing that she accepted was that what happened last night was not her mom's fault. There's no way she could have known the struggle between power and desire that had been going on between her and Darcy. Hell, Beth hardly knew what was going on between them and she was a principal player. She was still irritated how her mother had offered her up, portraying her as an unwanted wallflower, but her mom would have asked that exact same question to any man sitting in Darcy's seat; As much as Irene valued her social status, she was sometimes quite incognizant of how tactless and presumptuously unpolished her comments were. And then there was the fact that she was her mother and would have to put up with her for the rest of her life, which would be exponentially more difficult if Beth didn't forgive her.

She reached Battery Park and decided to turn right and loop up by the Jewish Heritage Museum first. Coming to terms with her exasperation with her mother, her thoughts drifted to the crux of her emotional turmoil: Mr. William Darcy.

Her first mistake was getting her hopes up after what Jane had told her; again, something she blamed herself for. She _knew_ him and she should have _known_ better. She should have gone to her parent's last night with her original plan in mind - to meet Darcy with apathetic indifference, submitting to their physical attraction but leaving him to initiate any emotional connection.

 _This is what happens when you let your feelings become too attached._

Instead, the moment he had touched her, all her inhibitions had melted away, leaving her bare and vulnerable. Instead of forcing him to make the next move she had put herself out there, she had reached for him, reached for answers, for a deeper connection. She reached and he recoiled, crushing her hope and her heart again. By allowing her hope for something more to grasp onto Jane's words as she spoke of his admiration for her, she had completely let her guard down, leaving her defenseless for his attack of callous neglect.

At first, she had clung to him, excited that maybe this meant he was remorseful or embarrassed for his previous actions and leaving without explanation; that his desire for her was a gateway to verbal expression of his regret for how he treated her. That ridiculous hope was efficiently extinguished when all he was apparently trying to express was his desire that she leave him alone. The icing on the cake had been when he drove the message home at dinner, claiming that he didn't make mistakes; he was too smart and careful for that. So, leading her on, hurting her, and ignoring her, was all on purpose.

She kept thinking of him as though he were acting like a child. She wanted to tell him that this wasn't first grade, you aren't supposed to be mean to the person that you have a crush on. Except, that was ridiculous of her too because he is a grown, capable, successful man; he probably didn't act like a child even when he was one.

Maybe, he didn't know how to handle his attraction for her, so he was trying to push her away? Now she knew she was going crazy when her reasonings sounded like they were coming from the ever-optimistic Jane. _Stop hoping._

As she exited the park back onto Broadway, she recognized that without taking his subsequent admissions into account, she could surmise all day as to why he had treated her the way he had. Her only concrete reasoning for his actions, or lack there of, came from his statement later in the meal of his character flaws; once you lost Darcy's good opinion, it was impossible to regain it. Somehow between their kitchen encounter and dinner last night, she must have lost his respect, and therefore, lost his attraction. It was the only logical conclusion she could accept. Sure, she could put her hopes in explanations that Jane would be proud of, hopes that he was just so overcome, so enthralled with her that it scared him to the point where he completely recoiled from any contact with her; but that train of thought only left her vulnerable to being hurt, and she'd hurt enough over him.

Her music stopped, jarring her from her thoughts, as her phone began to ring with a call from Jane.

"Hello?"

"Beth, where are you? Are you ok? It's eleven-thirty, we need to leave to head up to Saks now to meet mom."

"I'm fine. Sorry, I didn't even notice the time. I'm almost half-way there so I'm just going to run and meet you, is that ok?"

"Yes, of course. I just didn't hear from you and it's been over an hour. I was just starting to worry."

"Yeah, sorry. Just running thoughts out of my head. I'll see you soon. Can't wait to see mom's face when she sees I'm in gym clothes!" She heard Jane chuckle as she hung up her phone and her music restarted.

 _Why would he insinuate that I misjudge people?_ He was one to talk about being judge-y, number one. Number two, he was an open book when it came to how he treated others. She was pretty sure she thought of him what everyone else did, and that it was what he wanted everyone else to think. He couldn't act so aloof and disengaged and NOT expect everyone to consider him proud and full of himself; he was so prejudiced against everyone he met that it was pretty much impossible not to judge him for it. _What could he possibly have meant?_ Maybe she had misjudged his attraction. Considering how he ravished her, she didn't feel it was too much of a stretch to assume that he was attracted to her. But maybe that's just how he reacted sexually to women, not just her, and that she misread too much into the encounter.

The fact is she didn't know very much for certain. What she did know was that he clearly had no emotional attachment to her and was not shy about letting her know it. Beth decided that maybe option one was a better idea. It would be hard for the next few weeks until the transition for the firm was complete, but really, after the announcement at the Charity Ball, he would basically be out of her life and she could forget these few weeks of her lapse in judgement. She knew this was the way it had to be; for some reason, when it came to Darcy, she was completely consumed by him and she didn't know how she would handle another rejection. It was time to put Mr. Intolerable out of her mind for good and get back to focusing on herself.

With that concluding thought, she ran the last few blocks past Bryant Park to Saks, her mind was blissfully blank. She made it a few minutes before noon, just enough time to catch her breath before her mom and sisters arrived. She was surprisingly grateful that her mom and younger sisters were the first to show up because, for what might be the first time, she didn't feel like talking to Jane about what she was going through.

Once the whole party was assembled, they headed into Saks with their mission in mind. Beth was not a big shopper, especially in the stores, she preferred to just order things online to make her life easier. She quietly trailed along, trying to ignore Jane's concerned and inquisitive stares by pretending to be interested in whatever purse or scarf or jewelry that Lydia tried to show her.

As they got sidetracked in the jewelry section of the store, two young men approached Lydia and began to chat with her. It was clear that she knew at least one of them, as she hugged him and then shook the hand of the better-looking gentleman.

"Beth, do you know who that is?" her mother asked.

"No, probably just someone from school." She watched as her mother intently stared at the pair, critiquing them from head to toe.

Before she could ask more questions that Beth didn't know the answer to, Lydia turned and motioned for the gentlemen to follow her.

"Mom, this is Ben Cole, we are in marketing class together, and his friend George Wickham."

Ben, wearing shorts and a t-shirt, was cute but not cute enough to interest Lydia, which was clear as she promptly forgot about him and only had eyes for George. George Wickham, on the other hand, was very good looking with an alluring smile and charming eyes; he had wavy, blond hair and was stylishly dressed with shorts and a colorful button-down t-shirt.

"A pleasure to meet you ma'am," said George as he extended his hand with a warm smile.

"Very nice to meet you boys." She shook both their hands and began her interrogation. "So are you a student at NYU as well, George?"

"No, ma'am," he chuckled. "I'm flattered but I graduated from Boston University almost ten years ago and I've been in Europe for the last five years. I'm in town about to start a new job and Benny let me stay with him while I get on my feet."

"Oh, well. We actually are helping a close friend from Boston acclimate to the city as well," Mrs. Bennett said with pride and quick glance to Jane.

"Oh yes!" exclaimed Lydia, "Do you know Charles Bingley?"

"Ahh, Charles. I actually do. He was a little older than me but we went to the same school for a while. Very successful lawyer now I hear."

"Oh yes, _very_. And what our luck that him and my Jane have just recently started dating," Irene exclaimed excitedly. She always felt obligated to share any sort of good news with everyone that she met, especially when it connected them to very rich and very important people; Beth tried to contain her eye roll as Jane lost the battle with the blush that was slowing staining her cheeks. "Now if only his friend Mr. Darcy had been more charming, we might have seen love blossom in two couples." Sometimes, Beth just wanted hit her head against the wall.

At that last statement, George seemed to become more interested in their family. His eyes lighting up inquisitively. "You don't say? That's actually who I'm in town to see, what a coincidence. I'm taking over a management position at the NY branch of Fitz Corp.."

"Mom can we move on? I want to look at the dresses," Kitty whined, clearly bored by the conversation and not caring that she was interrupting.

"Would you like to keep us company while we shop?" Lydia asked, beaming up at George.

"I think Ben was about to leave to go to work, but I would love to," he responded, looking at Lydia and the rest of the group eagerly.

Everyone said their goodbyes to Ben and headed up the escalator to the women's dress department. Beth was intrigued by George Wickham. He had a warm and inviting personality, and he looked like an Abercrombie & Fitch model, but there was just something a little off about him. It could have been the fact that he knew and was going to work for Mr. Darcy, who was not her favorite person at the moment; or it could just have been that he seemed to enjoy Lydia's shameless flirting.

Lydia, Kat, and George meandered off on their own into the sea of formal wear while their mother trapped Jane in a conversation about Charles and how to "reel him in." Beth pretended to see something she liked and snuck away from the group, already needing a break from her mother's scheming. She wandered along among the sequins and tulle, not really seeing any of the dresses, letting her mind start to daydream. Deciding to punish herself later for it, she thought of Darcy and his kisses; how when he touched her, her whole body had come alive - every cell saturated with yearning, every pore effusing passion. She couldn't deny how much she wanted him; it had been an ache since the day they'd met, constantly preoccupying her mind. Even now, after she spent the whole morning thinking about him, here he was again, the first thing that her mind latched onto. She wondered if he ever thought about her, if he even cared about how he had treated her.

"Excuse me, Beth, is it?" A strange voice drifted into her thoughts as she realized that someone was talking to her. She turned around to see George Wickham behind her holding up a pink dress to himself. "Sorry to interrupt your thoughts, but I was wondering if you think this dress is really my color?"

He looked so serious that Beth couldn't help herself from laughing out loud, her emotions looking for any outlet at this point.

"Yeah, I think pink is goes very nicely with your skin tone," she joked back. He smiled back at her as he hung the dress back up.

"Well, you looked like you could use a laugh."

"Thank you, I appreciate the thought." She gave him a grateful smile as they continued to walk along together.

"Care to share what had you running away from the group? Not literally, even though you do have your running clothes on."

"Oh nothing. Just life, I guess." She wasn't going to open up that easily just because he made her laugh. "What happened to my sisters? I'm surprised Lydia let you out of her sight."

"Haha. Well her and Kat went to try on dresses and they won't let men back in the women's dressing room, even though I tried to tell them that I was there to try on a dress, but they didn't believe me. So it looks like you are stuck with me. I can be your fashion consultant if you want. You know, I did live in Paris for a year."

"Oh my. Well I don't have anything in mind. I'll probably just get something last minute, I'm not too fussy," she admitted. Realizing this was an opportune moment, she gave into her curiosity about his relationship with Darcy. "So you're going to work for Mr. Darcy then?"

"Yes! It's very exciting. William promised me a management job right out of college, but I was out of the country for a few years so now that I'm back, it's time for me to get to work."

"I see. Well that's surprisingly nice of him. Have you know him a long time?" Beth assumed this to be the case, since he was the only person she'd ever hear refer to him as William, and not Darcy or Mr. Darcy; not even Charles addressed him like that.

"Oh yes, almost our whole lives. William's father took me in when I was young, so we grew up practically as brothers," George began to explain. "I take it from you and your mothers' comments that Willy has been his usual charming self lately."

She laughed again at his evident sarcasm. "Yes, you could say that."

"He does have a tough exterior." Letting out a deep sigh, he continued, "The job was actually promised to me by his father, who started the business and saw me as a second son. When he died, he asked Will to make sure I had a place in the company when I finished school. When I was done though, Will wouldn't hire me, even though he swore to his father that he would. Being young and adventuresome and angry, I decided to galavant off to Europe for a few years but now I am back and ready collect on what was promised to me." Trying to lighten the mood after revealing that unfortunate incident, he gave her a mischievous smile and pulled off a black satin, strapless gown from a nearby rack and held it up to her with a questioning gaze.

She made a face at him. "No, I don't like to wear black," she said as if her expression wasn't clear enough. "It's too depressing. Plus, most people wear black to this ball." _Although blending in wouldn't be the worst thing in the world right now._ Not ready to let him off the hook that easily, she redirected back to Darcy. "So, Mr. Darcy refused to give you the job that his father and himself promised you?"

"Ahh.." Surprisingly, George appeared to be a little flustered by the comment, turning and pretending to be distracted by a different navy blue gown for a minute before he was ready to respond. "Well, not that I would say anything bad about Willy, but we didn't always get along so well especially as we got older. He, very formal and rigid, always concerned with school and then the business, and then there was me, the free spirit, always looking for some fun," he grinned sheepishly. "It's understandable, he was inheriting an empire, but we were just two different people. I think he was a little jealous of my freedom to do what I wanted and how much his father enjoyed spending time with me. When they were together it was always business, but with William, the father, and I, he was able to relax and have fun. I think it build up resentment. So, he refused to give me the job at first, maybe because I was just out of school and inexperienced, maybe not. I got back from Europe about a month ago though and have emailed and called his office several times, trying to get ahold of him but haven't received a response; I heard through a friend that he was going to be in the city for the summer so here I am, attempting to track him down in person."

Beth gave him a puzzling look. Not that she could say that she knew Mr. Darcy with any degree of confidence, but he certainly didn't seem like the type to ever be jealous of someone. Like her, he was proud of what he had accomplished, even if he was an ass about it, and she would never resent any of her siblings like that and she couldn't imagine that he would either. Then again, his reactions to her were complete contradictions - unwilling to notice her and then unable to keep his hands off of her. She wondered if he had done the same thing to George - offering him the position and then threatening to take it away, where his father finally had to be involved; she didn't know what was worse, playing with someone's personal or their professional emotions. Still though, there was something that just didn't sit right with her about George Wickham.

As if he sensed her distrust, he quickly continued, "I'm sure he fully intends to give me the position. We were like brothers, even in our disagreements, and knowing that this is what I went to school for, I have no doubt he would have offered me the job regardless."

"Even though I'm certainly not his number one fan, he has a good head for business and if you were the right person for the job, especially being like family, I think he would have given it to you too." Beth smiled back at him and noticed her mother and Lydia heading towards them. Determined not to be caught in a conversation about Darcy, she quickly turned and scanned the closest dresses and grabbing the prettiest color that she saw - a sky blue ombre chiffon dress.

"So definitely no black. I think I'll try this one on, blue has always worked out well for me. What do you think?" she asked George just as Lydia reached them.

"George, there you are! I seriously thought you had left us. What have you guys been doing?" Lydia sent an accusatory stare at Beth, thinking that she had stolen George away while Lydia was trying on her options.

"Ahh… I've just been browsing and this dress is the only one I've seen that I like, so I'm going to go try it on now." Not waiting for a response, Beth beelined for the fitting rooms only feeling marginally bad for abandoning George to Lydia and her mother.

Locking herself in the first dressing room, she hung the dress she grabbed up and sat down on the little bench. She looked at herself in the mirror, seeing the toll that this emotional rollercoaster had taken on her and put her head back down in her hands. _Who was this person she was becoming?_ Now she was angry at Darcy all over again for George's sake; _how could he have refused his dying father's wish that George, basically a second son, be included in his legacy?_

She looked up again and found herself staring at the dress she had haphazardly chosen. The material wrapped around to form a fitted bodice to waist and extended to the one sleeve that was off the left shoulder. The chiffon the flowed freely, in layers, down from the waist. From the bodice down to mid-thigh, the chiffon was a sky blue and then began to fade into white at the hem. Realizing that she actually had picked something she liked, Beth stripped down and stepped into the dress.

Finally managing to get the zipper up, she looked in the mirror and loved what she saw. The fitted chiffon to the waist made her look tall and slender. The one, off-the-shoulder sleeve exposing her shoulders and neck. With the dress on, she realized there was a thigh-high slit in the skirt that wasn't visible when she was standing still, but when she walked, elongated and showed off her legs. The blue also complemented her eyes and hair, making the brown appear not so dull. After a few twirls, she decided that this was the dress; maybe she was delusional but she loved it.

Changing back into her running clothes, she took the dress out to the counter to pay. She hadn't planned on buying a new dress but hell, after the past few days, or weeks, she could splurge. Gratefully, she had just finishing checking out when her sisters and mother, with George in tow, caught up to her.

"Did you find something, dear?" Mrs. Bennet said as she walked over and peeked inside the bag. "Oh that color will look very nice on you. That's what I would have suggested."

"Thanks, mom." The tiniest bit of sarcasm escaping into her response.

"Beth, you will never believe what happened!" exclaimed Lydia as she quickly glanced at George with a huge smile on her face. Beth _could_ guess what had happened but she didn't get the chance. "Mom said I could invite George to the Ball and he said he would go! Isn't that great!" Her guess was correct.

"Well, after your enthusiastic comments about the dress I picked earlier, I needed a party to wear it to," George joked and gave Beth a wink as Lydia looked confusedly between the two of them.

"What do you mean, George?" Lydia asked harshly. Then, remembering the other part of her excitement, she continued, "And, because he said that a date should always bring a present, he bought me the Kate Spade necklace that I was showing you earlier! Isn't he wonderful?" Returning to her smitten self, Lydia didn't bother to wait for anyone to answer her before she began pulling George toward the escalator.

Beth didn't hear his response as Jane finally saw her chance to check on her sister.

"You ok?"

"I will be. Is everyone done finding a dress? Did you find something?"

"I think I'm just going to wear one that I have, but everyone else got something. There's that black mermaid one that I haven't worn in awhile, so I was just thinking of wearing that instead of spending money on a new one."

"Well, I think you should have bought a new one for Charles' sake. You don't want him to think that you aren't stylish by wearing old dresses," their mother huffed.

"Mom, I just don't see the need to spend money on a dress that I will only wear a handful of times. I think Charles would agree with me," Jane said placatingly. It wasn't that Jane couldn't afford it because she made a good salary, but she was nothing if not practical when it came to spending money. Beth had no doubt that her sister's lack of materialistic tendencies was definitely something that had stood out to Charles; Jane wasn't pretentious or fake, a rare thing in the world.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

The week seemed to be moving in a blur. Every morning Beth woke up, ignoring her dreams about Mr. Darcy, went for a run and made it to the office by nine. She decided she had provided Mrs. DeBourgh with enough information to satisfy her for now and that continuing to work this week at the firm would only be torture for her, with little results. Her mind cooperatively stayed focus on her tasks and she felt herself getting back into her normal groove of life. By Thursday, she could even hear his name without some sort of emotional rush - be it desire or anger, or both, occurring. Her hopes rising, she really thought she was out of the woods with her initial infatuation with Darcy; the butterflies had even started to dwindle when she thought about seeing him at the Ball on Saturday. She'd been working later in the evenings not just to keep her mind busy, but to get away from the drama and distractions. Her office had become safe space - free from Darcy, Charles, her family, the whole mess.

She really was happy for Jane, who grew more in love with Charles each day; she just hated the sadness, the ache, that came over her when she heard Jane talk about their happy relationship. She wasn't jealous, but it made her feel the acute loneliness that accompanied her life. The worst part was that Jane thought she was making Beth feel better by telling her how well things were going; that Beth would be distracted by her happiness for her. The old Beth would have. The old Beth was blissfully ignorant of what her life lacked, of what it's potentials were. The new Beth had learned the hard way where her deficiencies were.

When she stayed at work, she wasn't reminded of how she'd briefly tasted such an incredible passion and desire, and the fact that it's potential was left unexplored. At work, she had an excuse for not staying on the phone to chat with her mom about the Ball, or Charles and Jane, or Lydia and George. At work, she could focus to her goals, on herself; She just wished that those goals were as attractive as they used to be.

It was almost seven on Thursday night and Beth had just finished eating the Chinese food she had had delivered to her office and was going to head home for the night when her computer notified her that she had an email waiting. _It was seven pm, whomever it was could wait until the morning._ She closed her computer and packed up her stuff to leave. As she grabbed her phone off her desk, she saw the same email notification pop-up on the screen; it was from Mrs. DeBourgh. _Great._ With a deep sigh, Beth dropped her laptop case and purse onto her desk chair and unlocked her phone, deciding she would read it there so that it didn't plague her all night.

 _Miss Bennet,_

 _Being that we were a late addition to the party, I would like to make sure our seating arrangements are set accordingly. We will need to sit with my daughter's date, who is also a guest of the event, Mr. William Darcy. I appreciate your prompt and effective attention to this matter._

 _Mrs. DeBourgh_

It was as if all the oxygen had been sucked from the room the moment she opened the email. She couldn't breathe; she couldn't think.

 _Daughter. Date. Darcy._

She felt like her heart was being squeezed to the point of bursting, every muscle tense and tingling losing blood flow and oxygen.

 _Pull it together._

Breaking from her trance-like shock, she gulped in air trying to replenish her body. She didn't know precisely how long she had been holding her breath, but it was definitely too long. Feeling like her legs were about to give out, she pushed her purse off her chair and collapsed onto it. Setting her phone face-down on her desk, she hugged her arms around herself and stared out the window across the room. Too hurt to move, she tried focus on breathing as the warm army of tears marched silently down her cheeks.

Letting the brief memories of their encounters flood her mind, she remembered like it was yesterday the feeling of being in his arms; it felt like it was where she belonged. She remembered the unquenchable passion that had exploded between them; both of them, the epitome of reserved ambition, losing all control over another person. She knew she would never experience something like that again.

She didn't want to think. She thought there had been something between them. She thought he was no longer with Anne. She thought he liked and admired her. Then, she thought he didn't care and she thought she'd gotten over it. _Everything she'd thought had been wrong._ She couldn't trust him, that was for sure, but what was even worse was that she felt like she couldn't trust herself. She couldn't trust her feelings or her mind to lead her in the right direction. She was irreparably lost.

 _This is what happens when you skip having a relationship with someone. You don't know how to handle the challenges, the disappointments, the hurt. It breaks you._

Maybe if she had done something different, made it a point to confront him about what had happened. She could have found a moment to speak with him, or asked Charles for his phone number or email. Maybe if she had made more of an attempt to figure out what was actually happening between them, she wouldn't be here. As much as she wanted to hate him for deciding to bring Anne to her family's event, and as much as she was sure she would be angry on Saturday, right now she knew that she only had herself to blame for her predicament.

There she had been lecturing Jane to make sure she opened up to Charles if she really liked him, to make sure that he didn't think that the affection was one-sided, when she'd been incapable of following her own advice. Regardless of Mr. Darcy's mixed signals, she shouldn't have taken a back seat in their 'relationship'; she'd never taken the back seat on anything prior in her life, why was she starting now?

The questions, the self-doubt, the hurt became too much as Beth let out one sob after another, each wracking the pain from her body; it was a catharsis of every emotion she had kept inside about Mr. Darcy, released in a torrent of tears that washed away the pain.

Her hands and shirt were drenched from tears; the enormity of the emotions that had ravaged her body had taken its toll as she balled up her sweater and laid her head down on it on her desk. Her tears began to slow to a trickle as her body began to shut down from the taxing emotional exertion. Her thoughts became incoherent and disordered as she struggled to find some sanity. Finally, her mind succumbed to the exhaustion of her body and she fell asleep, curled in her chair at her desk.

"Beth?" _Knock. Knock. "_ Beth? Are you in there?"

Vaguely aware that her name was being called, and that she was extremely uncomfortable, Beth opened her eyes slowly, blinking a few times as she took in her surroundings.

Her door opened and Phil popped his head inside. "Beth, are you ok?"

"Yeah," she replied groggily, as the memories of last night started to come back to her.

"Ok. Jane just called wondering if you were here. She said you didn't come home last night and she was worried," he responded with a look of concern, not believing her when she said she was ok.

 _Shit._

"I'll call her. Yeah, it's just been a crazy week with everything going on. I was working late and I must have fallen asleep." Trying to seem unconcerned, she continued, "I just need a good cup of coffee and I'll be good to go."

"If you say so." Phil looked at her worriedly but respected her enough not to push it. With a small smile he said, "Just holler if you need anything," and closed her door.

 _Shit._ She hadn't slept in the office since probably her second year working for Phil; and she felt terrible for making Jane worry. Gently banging her head a few times on her desk, she sat up, a painful maneuver as her extremely stiff muscles reminded her that she had slept in a chair all night. Gently stretching for a minute, she looked around for where she had set her phone. Finding it on the floor underneath her desk, she figured she must have knocked it off during the night.

Unlocking the screen, she saw she had four missed calls, three from last night and one from this morning, all from Jane. She also had several unread messages, most of them from Jane following up from her unanswered calls, and then two from Char. Still emotionally drained from last night, she opted to text Jane instead of call her.

 _Hey Jane. I'm so sorry for not calling last night. I literally fell asleep on my desk working. I'm ok. Talk to you later._

It was the coward's method of responding but she didn't know if she would be as good of a liar over the phone. _Well, it looked like she was going to find out._ Her phone started to buzz with an incoming call from Jane.

"Hey Jane, I'm really sorry about last night. I just completely passed out." _God, she hated lying to her sister._

"Beth I was worried sick. Are you sure you're ok? You haven't slept at the office in years." Jane rarely got angry-upset but she sounded like she was close.

"I know. I'm so sorry. There's just been a lot going on with work and then the firm and the ball. I guess it all just caught up to me. Please don't be mad."

She could hear the immediate change in Jane's tone after her plea. "Of course I'm not mad. I was just really worried, but if you're sure you're ok." She also seem an unconvinced as Phil.

"I really am. I just need to get some coffee and finish up a bunch of stuff today. I'll try to head home early."

"Alright. Love you."

"Love you too Jane. Don't worry. I'm fine." Her reassurance sounded weak, even to her ears.

She hated lying to her sister, but she couldn't deal with Jane fussing over her right now any more than she already was. She was emotionally devastated but there was nothing Jane could do about it, and dwelling on it was only going to make it worse. Beth really didn't want to go home early today, hating herself for saying that just to make Jane feel better about the situation. She just wanted to shut off all her emotions until the end of the weekend, when she could finally begin to move past this mess without having to see Mr. Darcy ever again.

Grabbing her phone, she stiffly stood up, deciding that walking to the Starbucks next door would be a welcome exertion for her muscles. She made her way over to the coffee shop and ordered a Venti Starbucks Double Shot; desperate times call for desperate measures. When she had finished paying with her phone, she realized that she hadn't read the messages from Char.

 _Hey B. What are you wearing on Saturday? I need your help deciding._

A few minutes later she had followed up with,

 _Can you just come over tomorrow night? My parents are all over me about this._

Beth sent up a silent prayer of thanks. Char wanted her to come over tonight, which means she wouldn't have to go home and see Jane. That thought was accompanied by a twinge of guilt, she'd never tried to be so distant from her sister and she knew it was going to hurt Jane but it was what she needed right now.

Not wanting to text and walk, Beth waited for her coffee to come up on the bar and then called Char as she left Starbucks.

"Hey! You never responded to my texts."

"I know. You wouldn't believe it, but I fell asleep at the office last night. I'm so stressed with everything."

"Oh man! Well I know that feeling. My mom is bad this time, Beth, you have no idea. I'd trade her for your mom, its that bad."

Char was a year older than Beth, making her the dreaded thirty years old and unmarried daughter. Their families got along so well because they were all very similar, Irene and Mrs. Lucas, Beth and Char. So, Beth knew that Mrs. Lucas laying on the pressure for Char to have a date or find a date, or a husband, at this ball. Thankfully, with Jane and Charles hitting it off so well, Irene had been blissfully distracted from her second child's lack of prospects.

"Shit. Ok, well I'm free tonight. I can come over and stay if you want. Maybe she won't be as obnoxious if I'm there."

"Unlikely, but at least I will have an excuse to hide from her. Haha. Ok well I'm done at one today so just head over whenever you are done with work. I'll see you later."

"Ok. Bye."

Beth hung up with a sigh of relief, looking forward to the distraction from her own life and some quality time with her best friend. Beth and Char were very similar in their personalities, preferences, ambitions, but Char hadn't been opposed to dating and marriage like Beth had; she just hadn't had that many good candidates. Unfortunately, where Beth just got annoyed and marginally embarrassed by her mother's insistence, Char took her mother's pressure and criticisms more personally, letting it affect her self-esteem and happiness. Her skin had gotten thicker over the past few years but she'd come to stay with Beth and Jane many nights, in tears, feeling inadequate and defeated by her mother's expectations.

As she got back into her office, she set her coffee down and got her laptop back out of the bag. Opening up her email, she was greeted with the message that had spurred her breakdown. _Deep breaths._ Hitting the button to reply, she locked down her emotions and began her response.

 _Mrs. DeBourgh,_

 _Thank you for your email. I will personally ensure that your request is attended to. I look forward to seeing you and your daughter tomorrow evening and to our continued partnership._

 _Beth Bennet_

What a load of BS, but what other choice did she have. Quickly sending out another email to one of her assistants, she asked that Mrs. DeBourgh and her daughter be switched with Lydia and George at their table. She'd wanted to move herself to another table away from Mr. Darcy and Anne, but she needed to be at the table to explain who Mrs. DeBourgh was to her parents and why she was there.

Remembering that she needed to let Jane know that she wasn't actually coming home tonight, she resorted to texting her the news.

 _Hey, Char's having a really tough time with her mom and she wants me to come stay over there tonight so I won't be coming home. Just wanted to let you know. See you tomorrow!_

She sat and waited, knowing that Jane would respond right away. She cringed as her phone buzzed and she opened up the message.

 _Ok. Hope she's ok. See you tomorrow :(_

Beth let out a sigh laden with guilt, knowing Jane was really concerned about her. After she survived the Ball, _if_ she survived the ball, she would tell Jane everything. For now though, this is how it had to be. She set her phone down and got back to work, praying that this weekend would fly by.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Beth managed to get everything critical done and be out of the office by five. She texted Char, who said that she would order in thai food for them to eat when Beth got there. With rush hour traffic, it took Beth almost forty-five minutes to get to her friends house. Char's parent's house was not that far from where her parent's lived; it was a little smaller and the exterior a little less ornate than her parent's, but still a very elegant home. Beth had been trying for years to get Char to move out; they had even talked about her moving in with Jane and herself just to get her out from her mother's persistent badgering, but Char could never commit to moving. She knocked on the door and was greeted by Mrs. Lucas.

"Oh hi, Beth." Char's mom gave her a warm hug. "Char just brought your dinner upstairs." Turning to the stairwell, she yelled, "Char! Beth is here."

Like Irene, Mrs. Lucas wasn't a mean or cruel woman on purpose; she just really wanted to see her daughter married and that crusade caused her to be a little, or sometimes a lot, insensitive to Char.

Char appeared on the stairs.

"Hey! The food just got here. Let's eat up here, I need you to look at some stuff." Beth followed her friends up the stairs to her room as she continued, "Also, Jane just texted me asking if you were coming here tonight; I told her yes but is everything ok?"

She should have known that Jane would check on her. "Yeah, I just forgot to call her last night and then I didn't come home so she's just worried."

"Oh. Ok. Anyway, you sit and eat while I go over my outfit options." Char didn't have the best eye for color and she was so self-conscious that she thought that everything looked bad on her; she was always texting Beth for style advice or to tell her if she looked ok.

She walked over to where her closet was open and grabbed three dresses - all of which still had the tags on them. The first one she held up was a pale pink spaghetti strap sheath, very summery but definitely not her color. With a mouth full of pad thai, Beth shook her head "no" as Char draped the dress in front of her.

"Well that was fast. It was the color, wasn't it? I knew it. Ugh.." She grumbled as she hung that one back up and picked up option number two. The second dress was a black silk, high-low gown with cap sleeves. While the dress was very pretty, Beth hated recommending black to her friend because black blended in with everyone else who thought it customary to wear black to any formal event. As Char held it up, Beth wavered her head back and forth and gave her friend the 'you know what I'm going to say look'; and she did.

"I know it's black, but I'm not as thin as you and my mom keeps telling me that black is thinning and that I really should start wearing more black." Char wasn't fat by any means, but unless being forced by her mother, she wasn't careful with what she ate and rarely exercised which meant that she was a little bit "fluffy," as she liked to call it.

"Maybe, but everyone wears black; and you aren't everyone and you aren't fat." Beth devoured another bite of her dinner, waiting for the last option.

With a sigh of resignation, Char hung the black dress back into her closet and pulled out her last option. She held up a floor-length amethyst sequin gown, with a high halter neck and a cowl back. While it was a dark color, the jewel-toned sequins sparkled and shimmered, brightening up the dress.

"That's the one. Jewel tones look great on everyone and the purple is very classy. Plus, the body style will look great on you. I want to see it on!" Beth exclaimed.

"I knew you'd like this one, that's why I saved it for last. I already ate though and I refuse to try it on while I'm in a food coma from drunken noodles. I'll put it on in the morning when I'm skinnier."

Beth laughed as her friend hung the winning dress on the front of her closet door.

"Speaking of drunken… we should be having some wine."

"I know, I just don't want to be bloated for tomorrow, but one glass should be ok, right?" Looking to her friend, who vigorously applied in the affirmative, Char laughed and left to go downstairs and grab a bottle.

She returned with a sweet Moscato - one of their favorites - and two glasses in hand. As she poured the wine, she gave Beth a curious stare.

"So why are you sleeping at your office now? And why were you so eager to come stay over here tonight? Usually, you just suggest that I come stay with you and Jane."

Beth should have known she could never fool her oldest friend. While Jane probably wasn't fooled either, she was too nice to call Beth out on her lies.

"I think I need to at least finish one glass of wine before we go there. How about you start with whatever is going on with your mom?" She countered, hoping that conversation would take them until it was time to go to bed.

"Oh, you know, just the usual guilt trip about why I'm not married, how I don't put myself out there; that I'm too shy, too focused on work, blah blah blah." Char rolled her eyes. "It's not like it's any different than before really, but because I turned thirty last year, she's just become more persistent and more annoyingly concerned; she was livid about me not having a date to the ball. At one point she called your mom to ask her if I stopped by your dad's firm, if he would introduce me to Mr. Darcy because she had heard that he was single. Could you imagine?" Char laughed as she recollected her distaste for the man who had so rudely insulted her friend.

 _If she only knew._

At the mention of his name, her eyes glazed over as her mind, fuzzy from the glass of wine, began to drift off to that night; that night was the only time he had ever made any attempt to explain himself to her. After she had called him out for insulting her, she remembered the shock that bolted through her system as he had grabbed her arm, attempting to stop her from walking away from him; she got goosebumps now just thinking about it. That was the only time he had begun to address her after doing or saying something inexplicable and what did she do? She turned and walked away. If she only knew how much such an explanation would mean to her in the future, she would have stayed and listened.

"Hellooo? Earth to Beth?"

She was jarred from her thoughts as a pillow hit the side of her head. She looked over at her friend with a confused, 'what was that for' expression.

"You just like zoned out for five minutes. I was trying to talk to you but as soon I mentioned Darcy, your head went up in space. Which, by the way, you missed me say not to worry, your mom told my mom what a jerk he is which made her give up on that plan."

"Oh, sorry. Just got a lot on my mind, plus the wine." Her mumbled excuse sounding feeble even to her own ears.

"Yea, ok. I don't think so. I know you wanted to talk about me first, but we've had this discussion about my mom a million times. She's not going to change, just like your mom isn't going to change. That's what it comes down to. What we do need to discuss is what the hell is going on with you lately. You're distracted, craving wine, sleeping at work, avoiding Jane; none of this is like you. I'm worried."

"Ugh, not you too." At Char's hurt expression, Beth rubbed her temples and decided she was going to have to talk to someone about this at some point; it might as well be Char. "I'm sorry. I know, I haven't been myself lately but there's a explanation." She moved back on Char's bed and continued, "You'll probably want to sit down, and get comfortable. A lot has happened."

Char sat down on the other side of the bed, facing her friend, as Beth began to recount every encounter she'd had with Darcy since the Gala. She told her about every kiss, leaving out certain, inconsequential details, everything he had said to her, what he had said to Jane, how he had treated her before and during dinner. She told her about meeting George Wickham and what he had accused Darcy of. She told her about Mrs. DeBourgh asking her to spy on him, inviting herself to their ball; she told her about the email last night that had caused her meltdown and had her falling asleep at the office. She admitted how guilty she felt, not just keeping it all from Jane, but avoiding her because she didn't want to hear about Jane's happiness and her excuses for Darcy. When she was finished, she looked up at Char, drinking her wine, eyes wide with disbelief.

"So, yeah. That's what's been going on and why I'm a mess." Beth waited for a response.

"Well I can't say I was expecting all that. Here I thought your mom had done something ridiculous too, but Mr. Darcy? And you?" She shook her head. "My mind is legitimately blown. I mean the man was an ass to you, but initially I think I have to agree with Jane. He acts and sounds like he's in second grade and doesn't know how to properly express his feelings."

"Seriously?"

"Well, I mean its definitely very plausible and makes the whole thing a little more reasonable. I admit, it's not the best rationale; I'm not sure why he would compliment you to Jane and then insult you the following night at dinner. Or why he would have treated Mr. Wickham so disingenuously. He's a walking contradiction. Have you considered a mental disorder?"

Beth laughed and admitted that she had suggested the same thing to Jane in all seriousness.

"I mean, he's really pulling some Dr. Jekyll-Mr. Hyde shit, but I doubt he'd be in the position he's in if that were really true."

"Yeah, that's the conclusion that I had to come to."

"I don't know what to tell you, B. In spite of everything shitty he has done, he is _clearly_ attracted to you. Man, what I wouldn't give for someone to jump me at work like that." She refilled both of their wine glasses with a look that said 'don't judge me.'

"Yeah, well, if you felt as torn up about it as I do right now, you might reconsider." She took her refilled glass back from Char. "It was just unlike anything I've ever experienced; something I'm not sure I'll find again and that's why it's so painful to think that it's been left unfinished. There just this ache from the thought that it could have been so much more; which is a crazy thought when I sit back and think about who I'm talking about, but I can't help it."

"You know you have to tell Jane about this, right? You can't hide from her or her happiness forever."

"I know." Beth's eyes downcast as she thought about her sister's genuine concern for her. "I just need to make it through the weekend on my own. If I tell her now, she will say something that will give me some shred of hope and I just don't think I can recover from losing that again."

"I understand. Are you going to go home tomorrow night or do you want to stay here?"

"Well, the Plaza always gives us a complimentary room for having the event there, so I thought I might as well just stay at the hotel. No one else is going to use the room anyway."

"Ok, well you are always welcome to stay with me."

"Thanks…" Beth's voice trailed off as her inner turmoil began to maneuver back to the forefront of her thoughts.

Seeing dismay start to creep over her friend's face, Char took control of the conversation. "Well, hopefully you have a hot dress for tomorrow night. Sounds like it's time for you to show Mr. Crazy just what he is missing."

"Haha, I think he already knows."

"Trust me, if the man likes you, or even just desires you that much, he deserves to suffer. Maybe I can even keep Lydia busy for a few songs so you can dance with George; nothing like your quasi-brother dancing with your woman to make you jealous." Char gave Beth a mischievous grin.

"Yeah, ok. I'm definitely not his woman. And I don't think Mr. Darcy is the jealous type."

"All men are the jealous type, you just wait and see."

The girls moved onto other subjects while they finished their wine and got ready for bed. Finally talking to someone about everything that had happened felt like such a relief for Beth. She felt less tense, less concerned about what was going to happen tomorrow. She sent Jane a text before going to bed apologizing again and letting her know they would talk tomorrow. She went to bed knowing at least the Darcy in her dreams wouldn't ignore her.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Beth woke up the following morning at eleven-thirty, which was surprising to her because she was usually up by seven. The stress and emotions of the past few days must have really taken their toll and she was thankful that her friend had let her sleep in; she would need all the energy she could get to make it through the night in one piece.

She found Char downstairs arguing with her mom over which dress she should wear; her mom insisting on the black. Beth suggested that they head back to her apartment for the rest of the day and get ready there together. Eager to get away from disappointing her mother, Char readily agreed. From her perspective, Beth hoped that with Char in tow and the excitement over the party, that Jane would hold off questioning either of them about what was going on. Char packed all of her stuff as Beth texted her sister to let her know that they would be heading over soon.

They made it back to Beth's apartment by twelve-thirty having stopped for coffee and breakfast along the way. Jane greeted them with a smile, only slightly diminished as she saw Beth's still semi-exhausted face.

"I didn't know you guys were planning on getting ready here. I told mom I would go over there and help Lydia and Kat get ready; I thought I would have been here by myself otherwise," she said with real dismay. "I can call them and tell them I'm not coming if you want."

"That's ok, Jane. It's probably better that you and Charles arrive with mom and dad, since dad is announcing tonight." Beth hated the guilt and worry she had caused her sister to feel. _Just one more day._

"If you are sure," Jane conceded. "I don't have to go over quite yet though."

"Oh, good! I want to hear all about your Charles. Beth was useless except to tell me that things are moving super fast," Char interjected, excitedly. At the mention of his name, Jane lit up and began to tell their friend all about her blossoming relationship.

Grateful for the distraction, whether it was intentional or not, Beth left them to go take a shower. She'd basically been in the same clothes for the past 3 days and she was really starting to smell like it. She took her time, letting the hot water relax her. As her mind drifted to Darcy, she realized that she felt numb to his name. It was like the emotional overload that he had caused, left her insensitive to him; a natural defense mechanism to keep her from hurting anymore.

When she finally got out of the shower, Jane was just getting ready to leave.

"I'll see you later tonight, ok?" Beth said as she gave her sister a hug. "Don't worry about me. I'm going to stay with Char tonight and we can talk tomorrow." _What was one more lie._ Thankfully, Char didn't hear that comment. She just didn't want to see her sister's concerned face at the thought of her staying alone tonight; she didn't want to be pitied.

Jane left and the girls began to get ready for the night ahead.

"The purple dress was definitely the right choice. You look awesome." Beth admired her friend as she attempted to put on her own makeup. Char had her hair loosely pulled up to show off the back detailing of her dress; the fit and flare of the style flattering her body type. She really did look good and she hoped that she felt it too. It was probably a good thing that they'd decided to get ready away from her mother; she would have picked her apart somehow.

"Thanks! I really like yours too; you look like a modern-day Cinderella in that blue."

"Yeah, because I'm totally Disney princess material." Beth laughed back in response.

She moved back from the mirror to assess the final product. Nothing to drastic, she'd done her eyes in neutral and gold tones with nude lipstick. Her hair was pulled back away from her face, but not up, allowing a waterfall of curls to cascade down her back. Char insisted that her dress was too flow-y to have her hair put up in a structured chignon and that she had to wear it down. She pulled on her dress, strapped into her heels, and took a look in the full length mirror; her friend was right, wearing her hair down completed the look. Not that she was going to admit it, but she felt a little like Cinderella as she spun around to check every angle; if only a prideful pumpkin could turn into a prince.

"You look gorgeous, B. Darcy is definitely going to regret his actions, that's for sure."

"Yeah, well hopefully I'm not regretting anything new by the end of the night."

Beth poured themselves each a large glass of wine, preparing themselves for the evening ahead with their families. _And Mr. Darcy._ The thought of seeing him soon started to put her stomach in knots. _Oh no._ She wanted to be numb to him, to stay numb to him; knots meant she cared and she didn't want to care anymore. She quickly finished her glass and poured herself another while Char went to touch up her makeup.

Two large glasses of wine without having eaten dinner yet left Beth feeling tipsy and comfortably confident at seeing Mr. Intolerable again as she sat in the back of the black car on the way to the Ball.

They arrived at the Plaza on time, a line of cars blocking the entrance as there were reporters gathered out front to capture the event. When their car finally reached the entrance, the doorman opened their door and helped Char and then Beth, exit the car into the twinkling camera lights. It wasn't the red carpet for the Grammys or anything, but usually about twenty reporters from local news sources came to document their charity event. This year it looked like there were almost double that amount, no doubt word had gotten around about the new, high profile guests who would be attending - Charles, Mr. Darcy, Mrs. DeBourgh. Refocusing her thoughts before her giant frown was plastered on the front page of the Times, she smiled and posed with Char for a few photos before making their way inside.

Every time she came here, she realized again how much she loved the Plaza which is why she insisted that they habitually hold their charity event here; that and the ease and convenience of always working with the same vendors made it an easy sell to her father. Char went on ahead as Beth checked in with their event coordinator to pick up her room key for the night.

The size of their party necessitated the use of their Grand Ballroom, this year decorated to a 'Midsummer Night's Dream' theme. They rotated through themes every few years, improving them each time, but this one was always her favorite. She walked slowly into the ballroom, taking in all of the decorations, all of her plans coming to fruition. Ivy and flowers cascaded down from each column and onto the floor. Dinner tables surrounded a large dance floor, above which was suspended three giant crystal chandeliers. Each table had a huge decorative vase filled with white peonies and white roses that stood 3 feet tall; off the vases were candle holders, as well as tea lights sitting on the tables, giving the atmosphere an enchanted quality. Maybe that was because she was already well on her way to being drunk. Speaking of alcohol, she took note of the two bars, one on each side of the dance floor, each staffed with three bartenders to ensure that lines didn't become too long.

Before she got too far into the room, she surveyed the guests, trying to see who all had arrived. Off to her right, she spotted her mother who was with Kat, Lydia, and George as they were having their photo taken; they'd bought a giant wooden swing, covered with blooms, suspended from two "trees" for guests to have their photo taken on. She saw that Lydia and Kat seemed to be arguing who's turn it was to sit with George for a photo. He looked up and caught her eyes; his bemused expression making her smile as she quickly turned away before her mother saw her. Knowing that their presence meant that Jane and Charles, and most probably Mr. Darcy, were lurking around somewhere, Beth decided it was time for another drink. She stopped at the bar and was requesting a glass of Riesling when she felt a hand on the small of her back.

"Miss Beth, you look stunning tonight," George said softly next to her ear. _His compliment felt nice; Fake, but nice._

Beth let her breath go. She knew it hadn't been Darcy from the beginning, there was no rush, no spark, no nothing. She wished there would have been, then maybe her future wouldn't be looking so bleak right now. Instead, she just felt a little uncomfortable that he was touching her and wished he would move his hand.

"Thank you, George. Lydia looks especially nice tonight, too. I'm glad to see my sister enjoying your company so much."

"Ahh, yes. Well, I'm glad you find it amusing to leave me at the mercy of both your mother and sisters," he joked lightly.

"You seemed to be handling yourself quite happily I would say." Anyone could tell that he enjoyed their attention. Even drunk, she wasn't going to feel sorry for him. _Especially when he was still touching her._

She picked up her wine glass and turned to face him, effectively forcing his hand from her back. When she went to look at him though, all she saw was the man she truly wanted standing twenty feet behind George, his eyes fixed on them. She felt heat starting to suffuse through her body. _Here we go again._ She could see as he visibly struggled to breath as he took his first full view of her. Darcy's body was completely rigid with unreleased anger, his eyes glaring as though he was imaging ripping George's head from his body, his right hand fisting and unclenching, trying to release some of the tension. Her mouth parted at the intensity that radiated from him and which seemed about to explode.

"Well, do you think you at least feel sorry enough to save me a dance later?" George's voice jerked her back to the present and the man directly in front of her.

 _Don't look back. He doesn't want you. He wants you to leave him alone. Leave. Him. Alone._

Throwing on her most sultry smile, she stared George in the eyes as responded, "I would love to."

"Perfect," he said as he picked up her left hand to kiss the back of it. She would have pulled away if Darcy hadn't been watching.

"Oh, well it looks like you are being summoned by Lydia. You should probably get back to her before she gets upset with me." She saw Lydia glaring daggers at her from their table.

"Until later, then." He winked at her and walked off towards his actual date, leaving Beth alone and in direct sight of Mr. Darcy.

 _Don't look at him._ Beth closed her eyes as George left and took a large sip of her wine. When she opened them again, she did a double take as she realized that Mr. Intolerable was walking towards her and boy did he look like she was in trouble.

She couldn't do this. She couldn't be alone and interact with her; she just wasn't ready. Just as he was close enough to talk to her, she saw her escape.

"Mr. Darcy, thank you so much for coming tonight. I sincerely hope you have a _tolerable_ time," she said flippantly with a smile on her face. "If you'll excuse me, I see some important clients of mine that I must say hello to." Without giving him a chance to utter one word, or herself a chance to falter, she brushed past him towards Mrs. and Miss DeBourgh who had just entered the ballroom. She knew she had shocked him and she knew he continued to stare after her because she felt the heat from his gaze linger on her back.

 _Wow, did that feel good._ Char had been right, making Darcy jealous was the way to go. _It isn't fun when someone brushes you off without explanation, is it Mr. Intolerable?_ She hoped he was enjoying a taste of his own medicine because she certainly was. Not only had she provoked him, but she'd managed to stay unfazed by his attempt to confront her; with a self-satisfied smile she addressed her clients.

"Mrs. DeBourgh, Miss DeBourgh, thank you so much for coming tonight. It's a pleasure to have you here."

"Yes, yes. Of course." Mrs. DeBourgh responded distractedly as her eyes were busy scanning the room, probably for the one man that Beth was trying to avoid.

Turning to her daughter, Beth took a good look at the woman who had secured Mr. Darcy. Anne DeBourgh looked like a model. She had to be at least five foot ten and very skinny, almost to the point where she looked unhealthy. She had short, chin-length wavy, blond hair, blue eyes, and the perfect smile. Maybe she was a Victoria's Secret Angel, for all Beth knew; she definitely looked like she could be one. Not sure what to expect from someone so gorgeous and rich, let alone Mrs. DeBourgh's daughter, Beth took the initiative and introduced herself.

"You must be Anne. I'm Beth Bennett from the Gardiner Group. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Yes, very nice to meet you too." Her response very quiet and meek, making her seem much younger than she was; it wasn't at all what Beth was expecting. She expected a coldly confident response, more fitting for someone of her stature and status. Her tone indicated no desire to be in control of the situation, as if that possibility had never crossed her mind. With how controlling her mother was, she probably never had much of a choice growing up.

"Please feel free to pick up some refreshments at the bar. You will be sitting at table number one with my family and I." As she moved to the side to point out where the bar was, she gave Mrs. DeBourgh a clear view of her quarry.

As recognition dawned on her face, Mrs. DeBourgh smiled and said, "Yes, I'm quite thirsty. Let's go get a glass of wine before dinner, Anne." Her daughter, seeing where and to whom they were headed, silently nodded in assent as her eyes lit up.

"Thank you, Miss Bennett." The slight smile crossing her face indicating just how pleased she was that Beth had obeyed her demands.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

As she watched them walk away from her and toward Mr. Darcy, Beth finished the remainder of her glass of wine. Unable to stop herself, she turned her head to see Darcy and Anne's reunion. _She wished she'd been stronger_. Anne walked right up to Darcy, who embraced her in a tight hug and kissed her cheek. As his lips left her skin, he opened his eyes and looked right at Beth, daring her to keep watching. _Apparently two could play at that game._ She quickly turned her head away, trying to ignore the sting of jealousy that shot through her when she saw their warm embrace. She'd never seen him interact so familiarly with anyone before. She wished Anne would have been a cold bitch, just like her mom, then she wouldn't feel guilty for hating her right now, but she did and she felt miserable. She regretted instigating his anger, she regretted giving Mrs. DeBourgh a straight shot to him, but mostly she regretted pushing him away.

 _But_ _he wants you to leave him alone._ Then why did he approach her? _He wants to be with Anne._ Then why had he kissed her? Why did he desire her?

She was staring off out the ballroom entrance when a waiter stopped in front of her to offer her a new glass of wine which she readily accepted. She needed to drown out the voices in her head and she needed to stay away from Darcy.

When she turned around, she saw that Anne and Darcy were still talking closely and Mrs. DeBourgh was curiously missing. Unwilling to torture herself by being near them any longer, she walked off purposefully towards the other end of the room in search of Jane, whom she had yet to see. Stopping to welcome a myriad of guests along the way, she finally paused on the other side of the dance floor where she deemed herself a safe distance away from seeing anything that would further upset her. Taking a moment to look around the room for her sister, she saw Jane and Charles by the far corner of the bar on this side of the room talking to George and Lydia. Jane looked beautiful as always, wearing a dusky rose, strapless, form fitting gown that Charles clearly appreciated; then again, he always looked at Jane in awe. Beth made her way over to the group, hoping that as long as she was in proximity to George, Darcy would keep his distance.

She felt a hand on her elbow and immediately flinched, turning to face her concerned father.

"Oh hi, dad. I didn't see you there."

"Are you ok, Beth? You seem a little jumpy."

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. You just scared me, I was focused on finding Jane." She gave him a hug, trying to make her story sound more convincing.

"Ok…" Her responded with worry in his eyes. "Have you seen your mother?"

"No, not since earlier." _Thank God. "_ Sorry."

"Alright. I guess I'll try over by the entrance." He gave her a half smile and grabbed her hand. "If you need anything, you come find me, ok?" Her dad knew her too well to not realize that something was up, but he also knew that she always liked to handle things on her own.

"Thanks." She kissed his cheek but before she could escape to Jane unscathed, she heard her mother approaching and cringed.

"John! Beth! There you are. I've been looking everywhere for you. Where have you been? Have you heard who is here?" Her mothers cheeks were flushed - from exertion at rushing over to them or from excitement, she wasn't sure.

"I've been looking for you dear. I left you with George and Lydia and when I found them again you were gone," John said, trying to calm his wife down.

"Yes, well I had to deal with Kat who's upset that George is Lydia's date and that she couldn't have one. I told her that Beth doesn't have a date either, and you don't see her falling apart, do you?" Even though she was sure her mother thought what she had said was a compliment, it certainly didn't sound like one. If she only know how close Beth actually was to falling apart. "Anyway, have you _seen_ who is here? You won't believe it."

"Dear, if you would just tell me, I promise to believe it."

"Mrs. DeBourgh, of DeBourgh Diamonds! And her daughter. Did you invite them? How did they get here? Is there something that you aren't telling me?" Her mother pried.

"No, mom. She is my client and I mentioned our event in passing and she graciously offered her support, so I sent them invitations." Her mothers eyes widened realizing that her daughter actually worked with some pretty famous people.

"Why didn't you tell us? We should have greeted them immediately! Where are they sitting? Are they with us?"

"I didn't think it was that big of a deal, and yes, they are at our table to you will have plenty of time to talk to them."

"Oh, wonderful! We should go introduce ourselves and welcome them now though, John. Mrs. DeBourgh is already sitting. Oh! And her daughter has been talking with Mr. Darcy, of all people, this whole time! They seem very comfortable together, I wonder if they are—"

"That's a great idea, mom. Oh, look Jane just saw me and wants me to come over there. I'll see you both later." Beth turned and walked off towards Jane before she had to listen to painful speculation and really set a bad example for Kat.

 _Deep breaths._

"Hey," Beth addressed the group as Jane came up and gave her a hug, whispering in her ear to ask if she was ok. As they pulled apart, Beth gave her a weak smile and nod.

"Beth, you look lovely tonight. So good to see you." Charles was beaming and gave her a hug as well. Even though he had complimented her, his focus quickly returned to Jane.

"George. Lydia," Beth addressed her younger sister, who seemed to be in a better mood now that George was back by her side. Giving her a small hug, Beth moved to the bar to exchange her fourth glass for her fifth. She strategically stood with her back to the bar, giving her full view of the room and fair warning should _anyone_ decide to approach their group.

She remained in the conversation passively for several minutes, letting her nerves calm down as she began to survey the quickly filling room. Feeling comfortable and safe from Darcy, her anxiety began to lower and she felt all the alcohol she had consumed to precipitously take effect. As she listened to the conversation, she noticed that while Charles was certainly nice to George, there was a hesitation that formed some sort of barrier between them. She assumed it was because Charles knew only Darcy's side of the story about George.

Beth stared blankly at George as he finished telling some story about how his travels in Europe. It had something to do with sheep in Scotland, but her brain was too fuzzy to focus on his sentences; she definitely needed some food. _Was it hot in here?_ She felt like she was burning up when her brain registered that George had stopped talking and was looking very grimly at something or someone. Adrenaline kicked in as she recognized Anne DeBough standing next to Lydia, which could only mean one thing; her eyes fell on Mr. Darcy. She blinked twice, not trusting that he was actually standing there and that she wasn't imaging it. She heard Anne being introduced to everyone else in the group, her attention sharpening as Darcy acknowledged George.

"Mr. Wickham." The coldness is his voice was unmistakeable and menacing.

"William! It's good to see you, brother." George tried to play it off with a laugh and warm smile, even though she could sense that he was clearly uncomfortable. Mr. Darcy eyes blazed with anger at his informal address, his fist clenched as though he was ready to strike when Charles came to the rescue.

"Anne, it's so nice to see you again. How have you been?" The rest of the group, who probably hadn't even noticed the tension between the two men, were quickly distracted with the new guests.

"Feeling much better, thank you," Anne responded with shyness, still somewhat hiding behind Darcy as if she needed protection.

Beth watched George the whole time. He appeared to take in the situation and realized that this group encounter was to his benefit to confront Darcy about his future job, interjecting back into the conversation with cavalier confidence.

"So, Darcy, I was just telling these beautiful ladies of my wonderful time in Europe but how I'm really looking forward to being back and beginning my corporate position at Fitz." His eyebrows raised, waiting for Darcy to challenge him in public.

"Oh, are you?" Darcy ground out. He was barely holding it together, and she wasn't the only one who noticed. She knew there was more to this story but without knowing it she just couldn't fathom why Darcy would refuse to hire someone who he'd grown up with as a brother.

"Yes, I've gained a lot of perspective and insight while I've been away. I'm sure that if dad were here he would be excited to see the changes I plan to bring to the company," he continued with excitement, oblivious to the rage he was instigating.

With the mention of Darcy's father, she knew that George had gone too far. His eyes flared but as he went to move towards George, she saw Anne discreetly rest her hand on the back of his arm, bringing him back to reality and calming him.

Beth shivered as the cold rush of jealousy washed over her body. It hurt knowing that he was clearly capable of letting people get close to him, just not her. She knew her face must have betrayed her pain when his eyes caught hers and the anger in them was replaced with something softer.

 _Don't let him fool you._

She felt the pain building inside her as her eyes glazed over with unshed tears. She needed to get away from him. About to excuse herself to go to the ladies room, she heard her name.

"Miss Bennet, if I might have a word with you?" His silky smooth voice cut through the white noise of the party going on around them, cut through the fog in her brain. She knew everyone was looking at her, intrigued by his singular request and waiting for her response; a response that she didn't want to give. She couldn't face him alone right now. She also knew that she couldn't publicly refuse him without causing a commotion. Sacrificing herself to make sure the night continued smoothly, she sighed in resignation and was about to acquiesce when her father's voice came over the DJ's speaker system.

" _Ladies and Gentleman, thank you so much for your presence and generosity tonight…"_

 _Thank you, Lord._ Beth sent up a silent prayer as everyone's attention was drawn to her father as he continued to welcome the guests and prepare them for his big announcement. Everyone's attention except Darcy's. He still stared at her, his gaze unbroken by her father's speech.

"If you'll excuse me, I need to go find my mother." She wasn't walking towards her mother so much as she was running away from him, but he didn't leave her any choice. He'd pushed her too far and she was afraid she wouldn't recover from another encounter alone with him. When she felt confident that he wasn't watching her anymore, she veered off towards the women's restroom.

As she walked she heard her father reminisce about their family and growing the firm to where is it, the loyal clients that they've had over the years, and how it was time for a new chapter to start. She entered the women's room as her father introduced Charles Bingley as the man who would be taking over their firm and continuing on their tradition of quality representation. She could hear the applause from inside the stall as she let the barely caged tears fall freely down her face.

 _Don't fall apart here. Just a few more hours._

Beth exited the stall and look a look at herself in the mirror. _Thank God for waterproof makeup._ Grabbing a paper towel she wiped carefully around her eyes. Her face still looked a little flushed but nothing that would give her away. She threw away the paper towel as the bathroom door opened and Anne DeBourgh walked in. She walked over and stood by Beth in the mirror and began to wash her hands.

"Everyone just sat down for dinner." As if she needed to explain why she was in there to wash her hands.

Putting on her hostess mask, she gave Anne a small smile and said, "Wonderful. I hope you are having an enjoyable time." Beth moved to leave the restroom but stopped and turned as she heard Anne speak again.

"Miss Bennet. Be careful of George Wickham." Beth was totally unprepared for that statement and looked at her with a confused expression. _What was her angle? Did Darcy send her in here? What was his game?_ Seeing her confusion, Anne continued, barely meeting her gaze, "He can't be trusted. Please, be very careful."

"Why? What did he do?" Beth asked determined to get to the bottom of this. When it was clear Anne couldn't, or wouldn't answer her, she continued, "Why should I trust you if you can't tell me what he has done?"

"It's not my place to say," Anne stuttered meekly, unprepared for a confrontation as her face turned red.

"I see. Well, I have no reason not to trust George, who has been open about himself from the moment I met him. Your date, on the other hand, from whom I assume this warning is coming, I do not know because he refuses to open up to anyone. What I do know is that George was promised a job by his dying father, a promise your date refused to honor. So, until I'm presented with alternative information please inform Mr. Intolerable that I'm perfectly capable of handling myself and that the only person this discussion leaves me not trusting is him." Trying to ignore the shocked and stricken expression on Anne's face, Beth turned and left the bathroom. She felt bad for persecuting the messenger but Darcy wasn't the only one whose emotions were barely contained and she'd had five glasses of wine.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

How dare he send his girlfriend to warn her about George? She was pissed and at least if she stayed pissed, she wasn't tempted to cry. With her back straight, she headed toward her table, making sure to smile at George as she passed by him and Lydia, hoping that Darcy was watching.

She approached the table from behind Darcy, so she wouldn't have to see him. While she had thought it would be a good idea to sit herself between her mother and Mrs. DeBourgh, so that she could filter her mother's words, she now realized meant that she was sitting across from Mr. Darcy and would be looking at him all night; at least Charles had ended up directly across from her. She took her seat as the caesar salads were being served, greeting Mrs. DeBourgh and her mother again. _He was watching her._ She felt his gaze on her, her body tingled all over. Glancing up, she was right; he was completely unaware of the food in front of him, he was just staring at her with a look of frustration and confusion, and concern; she, on the other hand, hoped he could see the anger and irritation in her eyes. Beth saw Mrs. DeBourgh stop eating and beginning to look back and forth between Darcy and herself, consternation growing on her face. A moment before she began to speak, Anne arrived back at the table, her face still flushed from Beth's confrontation, and broke Darcy's trace. He pulled out her chair for her and gave her a comforting smile. It was the only time Beth had seen him smile and it hurt. _Focus on the anger._ At least his show of warmth to Anne had distracted Mrs. DeBourgh enough from being curious about her and Darcy; she watched them with a knowing smile on her face, as if everything was going according to her plan. Beth looked down at her food, struggling to tolerate half the people at this table.

When she looked back up from her food she saw Jane looking at her with concern, trying her best to still pay attention to Charles as he talked to her. Beth gave her a small smile and began to chat with their mother, determined to ignore the three guests to her left. Mrs. Bennet had no end of topics to chat about, which Beth never thought she would count among her blessings.

By the time dinner was served, Mrs. DeBourgh, apparently pleased with the direction the conversation between Anne and Darcy was going, decided to leave them to themselves and join in chatting with Beth and her mom.

"Mrs. Bennet, this is quite a lovely party. I appreciate you thinking to invite us." _She must be really pleased._

"Oh my, yes of course. Thank you. It's just a little something we like to do every year." Her mother became very flustered and flattered at the compliment from such a famous person. "Beth, here, actually does most of the planning for it." _Thanks, mom._

"Ahh, I didn't know that. Well, very well done. Perhaps I should hire you to plan the events for me as well as publicize them." _Yeah, plan them and make sure to invite Mr. Darcy._

"Yes, she's very good. Hopefully, we can put her talents to good use planning a wedding soon!" Mrs. Bennet let out gleefully, as she glanced suggestively to Jane and Charles. Of course she wouldn't be able to keep her mouth shut about that.

"You don't say? I hadn't heard that Charles was seeing your daughter," Mrs. DeBourgh remarked, clearly waiting for her to divulge more details.

"Oh yes, for some time now." _Less than a month._ "But you can just see how head over heels he is about her. I wouldn't be surprised if he proposed tonight!" Mrs. Bennet said on a laugh. For all her enthusiasm, she wasn't wrong. Charles was definitely in love with Jane and he didn't seem like the type of person to let go of something that he really wants.

"Well, they do make a lovely couple. Almost as lovely as my Anne and Mr. Darcy, but that's a mother's bias speaking."

Beth choked on her water, drawing stares from most of the table. Putting her hand up to indicate that she was fine, she mouthed "wrong pipe" and quickly shoved some mashed potatoes in her mouth. Darcy continued to stare at her with concern; she didn't know if he had heard what Anne's mother had said about him or not. Mrs. DeBourgh stared at her curiously and then looked over at Darcy. Thankfully, Beth's mom wasn't ready to let go of the subject and continued, "Yes well a mother's love. I'm just so happy that my Jane found somebody. And as soon as that is settled, it will be Beth's turn." She beamed at her daughter. It was definitely one of the low points of the night for Beth. She managed a quick smile and nod as a response, not trusting herself to say anything as she finished eating.

As dinner died down, the jazz band came on and started playing some lively songs to get everyone out on the dance floor. Charles and Jane headed out immediately. Beth saw Lydia and Wickham out there as well before the floor started to get really full. As she watched, she caught sight of Char and Bill Collins together - _what the f?!_ She was definitely going to have to ask her about that tomorrow; they even seemed to be having a good time. Beth finished her sixth glass of wine; now that she had eaten, she concluded she would definitely need more alcohol to make it to the end of the night.

"Mr. Darcy, why don't you and Anne go out and dance? Anne would really enjoy it," Mrs. DeBourgh suggested, even though it came out more like a command. He stared at her for a moment and then held out his hand to Anne with a smile.

 _He doesn't like to dance. Anne must be worth his time then; she must be a little more than tolerable._ Beth needed a stronger drink.

She stood up abruptly from the table and turned to walk towards the bar, she didn't want to see them dance together. Determined to not look at the dance floor, Beth chatted with the bartender as he made her a Jameson and ginger ale and then Mr. Lucas who had come to refill his and his wife's wine glasses. The alcohol was starting to numb her again; she didn't feel anything and didn't realize that Darcy had watched her the entire time he was dancing with Anne.

When the music as it transitioned to a slower song, Beth decided it was time to head to the ladies' room to avoid being propositioned. As she finished the last sip of her drink, she felt a hand on the small of her back and realized that it was too late. She motioned to the bartender for another drink, knowing she would need it.

"Don't you think you've had enough to drink?" His deep voice was like whiskey - deliciously smooth but burning with reproach.

Her lips thinned in frustration as she turned to face him. "I will be the judge of that, thank you very much. Why don't you go back to dancing now that you've found a date who is 'worth your time'?

She knew it was the alcohol talking, but she didn't care anymore.

His eyes narrowed at her barb, his jaw muscles clenching; Relaxing his face, he looked at her with what she could have sworn was sadness in his eyes.

"Dance with me."

She laughed. Of course it was a command, not a request. Before she could even think about how to refuse him, she was spared from the attempt.

"Miss Beth," George walked up from behind Darcy with a gorgeous smile on his face and his hand outstretched, "I believe you promised to save me a dance and I've come to collect."

She smiled back at him and then looking directly at Darcy she responded, "Well I would certainly never break a promise to you."

If she remembered any of this in the morning, she knew she would regret that comment. The look on Darcy's face, the shock, the hurt from her direct shot to his pride wasn't something she would soon forget. If George hadn't grabbed her hand and led her off to the dance floor, she would have apologized and asked for forgiveness; she didn't know what actually happened between them and for her to judge him without knowing his side of the story was beneath her. She'd add that to her list of regrets to dwell on later; that and the amount of alcohol she had consumed.

It was a good thing George was a good dancer because the alcohol was really starting to affect her coordination. She smiled and laughed at his jokes, not that she could remember what they were. She let herself succumb to the fuzzy numbness of the alcohol, let it cloud the rest of her emotions; they could beat her up tomorrow.

As the music picked up again, they were joined by Char and Lydia and George was forced to let her go as they all danced in a group. Everyone had had enough drinks by now that the dance floor was lively and everyone was having a good time. Every so often, she caught a glimpse of Darcy, dancing closely with Anne; she laughed as she caught his stares because it made her want to cry. She tried not to search him out too often because he always seemed to be watching her, no matter when or where she looked.

As George got more tipsy, he kept grabbing for Beth, pulling her to him to dance with her, much to the annoyance of Lydia who was practically throwing herself at him. Beth didn't want to dance with him again though. She was tired of dealing with men, and he was getting a little too touchy for her liking. Char saved her though, pulling her away claiming that she had been promised a dance too. Finally George gave up and gave Lydia the attention she had been begging for; at some point they must have left the dance floor because Beth twirled around and they were gone.

"Are you ok?" Char yelled over the music.

"Yeah. Just drunk, very drunk." Beth giggled helplessly. "I should leave soon. I've done enough things to regret for one night, can't add puking on the dance floor to the list."

"What happened?"

Beth tried to remember, but it was starting to hurt her head, or maybe it was her heart. "Couldn't tell ya, to be honest. If I remember in the morning, I'll let you know."

"Man, you are toast." Char laughed at her as the band started their final set, a few slow numbers to close out the night. Beth watched as Bill came up to Char and asked her for a final dance, a small blush spreading on her cheeks. Beth sent her a questioning stare before Char's focus was drawn elsewhere.

Yeah, she really should head up to her room before she forgot how to get there. Or how to walk. Ok, she may have exaggerated her drunkenness; she wasn't nauseous or slurring her words, definitely intoxicated, but not wasted. She turned around to leave the dance floor too quickly and the whole room began to spin. Thankfully, there was a solid male unmoving in front of her to grab on to.

 _Thankfully._

Her hands steadied herself on his chest as she looked up to meet his eyes.

"I told you not to have anymore." His eyes a hard mixture of concern and frustration.

"I know." She was too tired to play games with him anymore tonight. At the resignation in her voice, his expression and tone softened.

"Dance with me." His hand came up to move a stray curl back behind her left ear. "Please."

The 'please' was so soft that if she hadn't seen his mouth move, she wouldn't have thought he said it. Transfixed by his tenderness, she just gave a small nod as he led her to the corner of the dance floor.

He didn't say a word as the song played. Beth felt everything around her fade away until there was only him and she couldn't take her eyes away from his. He held her far too close for anyone to consider it a polite dance among acquaintances, but she couldn't find it in her to care. She hadn't even realized the song had ended until their trance was broken by George's approach.

Completely ignoring Darcy, he put his face right next to hers and tried, and failed, to whisper, "Beth, I've lost Lydia. Well, she might have just gone with your parents. Can you help me find my room? This place is huge." His breath reeked of alcohol.

Now George was very drunk, and Beth had no intention of going anywhere with him. A quick glance at Darcy showed the rage that had infused his body.

"I'm sure if you ask at the front desk they'll be happy to show you to your room." Beth tried to diffuse the situation, but George wasn't having it.

"But I need you to show me." He leaned in right next to her ear and continued, "And then I can show you a few things too." His hand shot out and barely touched her ass before she saw a fist fly and George laying on his back on the ground.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

 _This couldn't be happening._

Thankfully most of the guests had left and it was predominantly hotel staff in the room starting to clean up, but there were still witnessed to William Darcy, the CEO of Fitz Corp and one of the most powerful men in the world, punch George Wickham in the face.

 _What were they going to say? What was going to happen when her mom found out? And Mrs. DeBourgh? What was he thinking?_

She felt like she was going to pass out. Or vomit. Or both.

She crouched down next to George and pushed the hair off of his face, assessing the damage.

"George? Are you ok?" His eyes began to blink open as he grunted.

"Did he just punch me? Fuck my face hurts."

Beth looked up to confront Darcy but he was gone. _What the hell._

 _"_ Ugh. Beth, what happened? My face hurts. And I can't really see out of this eye." His left hand had begun to feel around on his face and eye; an eye that was quickly swelling shut from the assault.

Beth looked up again to see Darcy walking towards them with what looked like two security guards and the hotel manager.

"Pick him up and take him to his room. I'll take care of the bill." Darcy commanded swiftly as the two men yanked George up off the ground with ease.

"Whas going on?" George said in a confused stupor, "Where am I? Beth is dat you?" The alcohol and the blow to the head compounded each other as George became even more disoriented.

"Shh. It's ok George. These nice men are going to take you to your room." As pushy as he had been, he'd been drunk and Beth didn't hold it against him. She felt sorry for him as she watched the hotel manager direct the men out of the room and towards the elevator.

 _God, what a night._

"I've also had a doctor called to take a look at him tonight to make sure he'll be ok."

 _Looks like the night isn't over yet._

Beth had completely forgotten that Darcy was still standing there; realizing that he was, ignited the outrage that she had felt building all night, and no longer had the desire to control.

 _Smack!_ Her hand stung with the force she'd used to slap him across the face.

"What is wrong with you?!" she asked angrily, furious at how he had handled the situation. _Who was she kidding?_ She was furious at him for every situation he'd ever put her in, everything he said to her, how he treated her, and mostly for somehow still making her want him.

They stared at each other in shock, both in disbelief that she had actually slapped him. His hand came to his face as his eyes hardened and his mouth thinned.

 _Uh oh._

She backed up a few steps towards the door. His gaze locked onto hers as he began to approach her, clearly intent on reprimanding her for attacking him. Her fight-or-flight response kicked in and she turned and ran out of the room towards the elevators, struggling to find her room key. As she impatiently pressed the "up" button for the elevator, she looked to her left and saw him striding towards her and she knew she wasn't going to be able to escape.

The elevator to her right dinged and she began backing into it with her hands up as a sign of submission as he finally caught up to her. He grabbed both of her hands and forced her against the back wall of the elevator; holding both her hands in one of his, he turned and swiped his key card and hit the button for the Royal Suite.

He stared at her as the dings from the elevator faded into the background. The anger in his eyes slowly evolving into desire; it filled the space, every breath she took she felt it, she felt him against her, in front of her, around her; he consumed her.

"You were right. What am I thinking?"

His mouth crashed down onto hers.

Beth couldn't move, couldn't think, all she could do was feel. Her senses were overwhelmed and she felt lightheaded and it wasn't because of the alcohol. Even though he dominated all of her senses, she fought for some control over their kiss. Her tongue sparred with his; luring it into her mouth so she could suck on it, which elicited a tortured groan from Darcy as he pressed his hips harder against her.

The duel momentarily paused when the elevator doors opened and chimed, announcing their arrival to the private access floor. Hardly giving her a chance to breathe, let alone take in her surroundings, he released her wrists and she let her arms fall to her sides as he stepped back from her. She had a moment to take in the sight of him, completely undone, handsomely disheveled, radiating pure desire that he struggled to contain.

Looking at her with a pained expression on her face he let out a groan and ran his fingers through his face. _Oh, God. He's going to send me away._ She felt the color drain from her face and as he looked at her he realized what she was thinking. He took the two steps back to her and grasped her face in his hands, forcing her to look up at him.

"God, Beth…" His forehead dropped onto hers. Then his eyes opened and lust burned from them straight to her core. "I can't control myself around you," he said quietly, "If you step off the elevator, you have to know there's no turning back. If you step off the elevator, I will have you." His words came out harshly as he could barely control his need for her. "But if you stay here, you can go back to your own room and never have to deal with me again." His eyes closed again as that thought was too much to bear.

He stood there for a moment before stepping away from her again, letting her make the final decision.

 _I will have you. God, how she wanted him to._

She could forget to breathe, she wanted him so badly but should she really do this? After everything that he had done? She has so many unanswered questions about so many things, how could she commit to this without having the answers. She couldn't do it. The regret would overwhelm her in the morning. He had made her too fragile and one night with him would break her.

She saw it the moment he realized that she was going to leave; the desire on his face crushed with the raw emotion of failure. Now he was the one who looked broken, having risked everything and been rejected. His mouth thinned as he gave a small nod, acknowledging her decision as the pushed the elevator button down.

 _There you go, taking a back seat again._

 _Fuck._ She wasn't going to run away from her feelings again. She stuck her hand out into the closing elevator doors before her mind got the better of her. The doors reopened and Darcy looked up, confusion spread across his features. She stood for a moment and then closed the distance between them, taking his face in her hands and kissed him. _Tonight he was hers._


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22 - ******DISCLAIMER**** This chapter contains mature, explicit sexual content**. If you are not comfortable reading that or feel it's inappropriate, please skip to the next chapter. Thanks!

The floodgates had opened and all his pent up desire came crashing down on her. He kissed her like she was the air he needed to breath. His arms clamped around her back crushing her to him for a moment before he broke away and picked her up in his arms as if she was nothing more than a stuffed doll.

Darcy carried quickly her through the Royal Suite, not that she could see much anyway; all the lights were off except the dimly lit bedroom. She shivered as he carried her through the door, causing him to pause and look down at her. Knowing that she'd made a decision he wouldn't let her revoke, he took the last few steps to the bed and tossed her onto it. She landed in a sea of blue, her dress fanning out around her.

His eyes locked onto hers as he took off his suit jacket and tie, folding them gently onto the chair. _Was this a dream?_ The man was drop-dead gorgeous and he was stripping for her. Still not breaking eye contact, he pulled his shirt from his pants and began to unbutton it. He was all muscle, his stomach cut and flexing as his breath came in pants. She saw a smattering of dark hair spread across his chest that converged down his stomach and disappeared beneath the waistband of his pants. Her mouth parted slightly and she licked her lips in anticipation. Seeing her desire increased his own as his jaw clenched and the bulge in the front of his pants swelled.

 _What was she doing?_ He was hers for the taking and here she was just sitting passively on the bed. _Oh, no._ She was going to make the most out of tonight. He'd almost finished unbuttoning the shirt, when she moved off the bed to stand in front of him. Grabbing the collars, she pulled the shirt down off of his shoulders and threw it on the floor next to them, a contrast to how precisely he had laid his other clothes. His nostrils flared and his eyes glinted in warning at her show of dominant defiance. She bit her lip, a show of fake remorse. He groaned as his face swooped in to claim her lips again. His hands reached up behind her head, tangling in her hair to remove the bobby pins she had used to pull it back. As her hair began to relax down onto her shoulders, she felt him massaging her scalp as he tilted her head back, giving her deeper access to her mouth.

Her hands began their own exploration, starting at the waist of his pants, they moved up across the front of his abs, feeling the muscles clench underneath her fingertips. They continued up onto his chest, feeling the soft and sparse curls of hair, and came to rest with her arms around his neck; the full length of their bodies flush against one another.

Even though her dress wasn't full by any means, there was still too much material standing between them as she tried to press closer into him, her desire making her impatient. Sensing her restlessness, his kiss became torturously slow as he sucked her tongue into his mouth, gently biting it. He knew it was driving her crazy and he was enjoying it. She felt his smile against her mouth as she ground her hips against his. Tired of his games, she pulled his lower lip into her mouth and bit down. Hard. His breath sucked in hard as his eyes shot open, fire burning inside.

"You'll pay for that." He licked his injured lip and gave her one last mind-numbing kiss before he spun her around to face the bed. His left arm came around to support her stomach as his right arm crept up to grab her breast through her dress. She moaned and arched into his hand.

"Soon," he whispered in her ear as his teeth captured her earlobe. She moaned, her senses on fire as he continued his torture by licking the tender spot behind her ear. As he nipped a trail of bite marks down her neck onto her shoulder, she pressed her ass back into his erection, trying to unnerve him like he was doing to her.

She felt the rush of air next to her ear as he laughed. "Not yet." She felt his mouth right on top of her ear as he whispered, "I'm going to make you come and then I'm going to punish you for all the times you've disobeyed me; and then, once I'm satisfied that you've learned your lesson, I'm going to fuck you until you pass out from the pleasure."

She almost orgasmed then and there, she was wound so tightly. She felt her wetness soak through her underwear and she tried to rub her thighs together to ease the ache between them.

She whimpered as his right hand moved down from her breast and began to bunch up the front of her dress until he could reach through the high slit in the skirt. His left hand snaked up and under the neckline of her dress to kneed her right breast, rubbing and pinching her nipple in turn, sending sparks down to her core. Her head fell back against his shoulder as she closed her eyes and let her other senses take over. His hand crept up her leg; she felt him smile against her neck as he felt the evidence of her arousal leaking down the insides of her thighs. As he brushed over the front of her thong, she shuddered, needing him to touch her.

Simultaneously, he pinched her nipple with one hand and cupped her mound with the other. She cried out in frustration. " _Please."_

"Not yet. Not until I say." To make his point, all his caresses stopped for that brief moment.

Then, resuming his torture, he slid his thumb underneath the edge of her thong and slipped the front of the material to the side of her folds, unblocking his path. Dangerously slowly, he slid his middle finger down the center of her slick folds, applying pressure as he travelled over her clit, and continued right into her tight passage until his finger had disappeared completely inside her.

"God, you are so wet."

 _She was dying._ And then he flicked the tip of that finger right against her G-spot and she screamed her knees giving way as she fought off the rolling waves of her orgasm that tried to drown her in pleasure.

" _Not. Yet."_ He growled, his hands stilling until he felt her tremors subside.

His finger slipped out of her, coated in her juices as he began to lightly and lazily flick them over her center, tightening the coil inside of her once more.

She wasn't sure if she was moaning or saying the word 'please' over and over again. All she could focus on was the peak that was just outside of her grasp. She was unconscious of the tears that had begun to trickle down her cheeks from the unfulfilled pleasure that was about to burst in side of her. As he gently kissed each tear away, his fingers increased their pressure, rubbing at just the right speed to drive her crazy. Her pleasure drove him as his thumb moved in to take over stimulating her clit as the previous to fingers moved over her entrance.

" _Please, Darcy,"_ she begged.

"Good girl." She barely registered him whispering in her ear until he said the magic words, "Come for me. Now." With those words, his left hand pinched her nipple and his right fingers entered her completely, pushing on her G-spot as he thumbed her clit. She exploded into a million pieces, screaming his name and collapsing forward into his arms. She felt her passage clenching around his fingers over and over again as the contractions began to subside. He completely supported her until her legs regained their feeling and strength enough to stand.

Her mind though was still blank; her vision had gone white and she had seen stars. It had been the most powerful orgasm she'd every had. Every part of her felt like jelly and all she wanted to do was collapse onto the bed. As if reading her thoughts, his lips touched her ear with a smile.

"I'm not done with you yet."

 _What?_ How could there be more? Her body felt like jello. Before she had a chance to respond, she felt cool air followed by the warm trail of his finger down her back to her butt as he unzipped the back of her gown. As it parted, she lifted her arms and let it plummet to the floor, leaving her standing naked save her heels and white thong. She attempted to turn around to face but his hands tightened on her hips preventing it.

"No. I won't be able to control myself if you turn around now and I promised to punish you." His voice was tight and she easily believed that he was on the verge of losing control, his desire still wound tight as she could feel his erection straining against his pants.

"Bend over onto the bed," he commanded, his voice suddenly very stern.

 _Oh God._

"Are you really going to sp—"

"Bend. Over." His hand applying light pressure to her lower back. "Don't make this worse for yourself." Scolding her before her defiance got her in bigger trouble.

She bent over, her forearms resting on top of the bed. Her legs spread slight, she arched her back slightly, knowing that it would give him a better view of her ass and exposed folds.

She smiled slightly as she heard his sharp intake of breath, relishing in the power she exerted over him with such a subtle movement.

"God, you are perfect."

 _Well, that's a step up from tolerable._

 _SMACK._ "Think it again and I'll double your punishment." She flinched when his hand contacted her bare ass cheek. He hadn't hit her hard, but she had a feeling that it had only been the warning strike.

"Yes, sir," she said quietly, anticipation electrifying all her senses.

Please with her response, she felt his fingers part her folds again to find her core, massaging her as she began to climb to her peak again. She closed her eyes and forgot about her punishment, reveling in the pleasure that was spreading throughout her body. Just when the first waves of her climax were about to start, his thumb stopped and left hand came down hard on her ass cheeks. Her eyes jolted open and she squeaked in surprise and pain. _Or was it pleasure?_

 _"_ That was for misjudging me and my words the first time we met." His voice was hard with restrained desire. His right hand returned to pleasuring her; her core's sensitivity heightened from her first climax and from his punishment. Each flick of his thumb bringing her torturously close to satisfaction. His left hand was now gently rubbing her ass cheeks admiringly as they began to color from him assault.

Again, she lost herself in all the sensations he was inflicting on her. She found it impossible to keep her eyes open, her lids heavy as she lost all sense of her surroundings, barely cognizant of the fact that the noise off in the background was her moaning.

 _SMACK._

Again, he had shocked her from her stupor. His hand hitting her ass sending a sharp burst of pleasure - _definitely pleasure this time -_ right to her core; gasping, she almost climaxed at that moment, feeling her insides clench and wetness spread down her thighs.

She heard him groan loudly. " _Not. Yet._ You come when I say so. _"_ It was definitely a command that she hoped she could obey. "That, was for provoking me with the letter."

His hands returned to their prior, agonizing movements. Beth had to bite her lip, the pleasure was so intense, she wasn't sure how much long she could obey him and hold on.

"Darcy," she moaned his name. " _Please."_ She begged him as he applied more pressure to her core.

"Hold on for me, baby. Just one more. You're almost there." He promised her. "God, you're so pink and so wet. I want to taste you, but not now."

She was going to pass out, she was sure of it. She barely registered his words, all she could do was feel her orgasm build and fight to keep it at by; it was taking all of her strength. Just when she knew she couldn't hold on any long, she felt his left hand come down hard on her ass one last time and vaguely registered his command, "Come for me now, baby. _Now._ " Burning pleasure shot straight to her core as he rammed two fingers deep inside her and stroked her clit. She shattered, screaming his name, as wave after wave of pleasure rolled through her leaving her completely senseless.

Before the tremors had barely begun to subside, she heard the rustle of his pants as they hit the floor and he flipped her onto her back, her hands falling above her head. Before she could move to cover herself, he grabbed her wrists and secured them together with his tie. Moving swiftly around to the side of the bed, he attached the tie to the headboard effectively strapping her to the bed. His task completed, he returned to the foot of the bed, standing between her thighs, taking in the view. She saw the raw, savage hunger in his eyes as he looked over her body.

"Fuck, I can't wait." The pain of his restraint shadowing his features before he gave in to his need. She barely had a moment for her pleasure-dulled vision to take in the size of him before he spread her thighs and thrust himself into her body in one smooth motion, relief and confusion crossing his face as he looked at hers. She winced slightly on his entry, her two orgasms not quite enough to prepare her body for his size, as the remnant of her virginity was obliterated.

"I can't. Go. Slow." His face tortured from having hurt her.

She'd lost her ability to speak long ago, so she did the only thing she could think and rocked her hips up towards his, taking in the last bit of his erection.

His relief was palpable, just before he completely lost control. Grabbing her hips, his head fell back as he began to pound into her, hitting that over-sensitized spot inside her again and again. She'd barely recovered from her last orgasm when she felt another, stronger one building with him inside her. His hands roamed all over her, under their own control, massaging her breasts, pinching her nipples, fingering her clit. Her head twisted from side to side as she felt every muscle in her body tightening again.

She watched his face as he succumbed to his mounting climax. As she felt him begin to pump faster, harder, knowing she would be bruised tomorrow, she heard his voice break through the pleasure.

" _Come again now!"_ He yelled on a groan, his command pushing her over the edge. She screamed as she orgasmed again and arched into him as he came inside her, her inner muscles clenching and pulling every drop out of him as he pumped relentlessly into her.

When they both came back down to reality, Beth felt like she wouldn't be able to move for a week. She couldn't even find the strength to fully open her eyes; with heavy lids she felt, more than saw, him pull out of her. He came around to release the ties, her arms falling slack on the bed at their freedom. She began to sense the soreness coming from her wrists, vaguely remembering how she had pulled on the ties as he had brought her to her third release. She hadn't realized he had left the room until he came back in and woke her softly.

"I'm going to wash you." She must have nodded because he moved back between her spread thighs and began to wipe away the remnants of their orgasms and her virginity. The warm washcloth felt miraculous against the tenderness of her muscles.

"Are you on the pill?" he asked calmly. The thought of being pregnant stirred her eyes wide as she looked down at him.

"No." Then, after a moment of mental clarity added, "But I just had my period last week so it should be ok."

His mouth formed a thin line as if he wasn't sure he wanted to believe her or not.

"You should be on the pill."

 _Looks like Mr. Intolerable is back in action._ Too tired and sated to argue, she just closed her eyes again and sighed, curling up into a ball on the bed. She felt him pull the covers up over her as he climbed in the other side of the bed. He gently took her hands, one by one, and began to massage her still red wrists and forearms.

"Thanks, Mr. Intolerable," she sighed as her muscles began to relax underneath his fingers. She thought she heard him laugh as she drifted off sleep.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23 ******DISCLAIMER**** This chapter contains scenes with explicit sexual content. Please use your discretion/preference when reading. Explicit content has been delineated with " ******************** ". Stop reading at the first "*" break and scroll down until the second "*" break and continue reading to skip mature content.**

The smell of fresh coffee and sunshine on her face pulled Beth from her sleep. After trying, unsuccessfully, to curl further underneath the covers she gave up and slowly opened her eyes. For a second, she forgot where she was, then the memories of last night flooded back into her mind: the ball, the dance, Darcy hitting George, her choice to stay the night…her cheeks flushed as the rest of the events danced in front of her eyes.

 _Maybe she dreamt it?_

She went to roll over to face the side of the bed and winced as her inner thighs protested the movement and her butt tender as it slid across the mattress.

 _Oh God, her virginity._ He hadn't said anything to her, that she remembered, about it but she knew he had realized it the moment he entered her and the pain he had caused her. If he hadn't, washing her private areas afterward would have been a dead giveaway; she peeked on top of the covers and saw the small, faint reddish-brown stain near the bottom of the bed. _Great._

She groaned as she turned over to the nightstand where her phone had been placed on the charger. _How thoughtful._ She picked it up and hit the home button. Nine o'clock in the morning; she couldn't remember the last time she'd slept until nine. Of course she had notifications waiting for her: two texts and a missed call from Charlotte, two texts from Jane, and a missed call from her mother.

She started with the easiest first. Char had texted her around eight saying that she tried to call and she was wondering how the rest of her night went; also, that she had something to tell her. That text ended with a winking emoji so at least Beth knew it was a good something. She switched over to her conversation with Jane.

 _Hey hope you had a good time last night._

 _Maybe we can talk sometime today?_

She did need to talk to Jane, especially after last night; not that she knew how she was going to tell her all this, but she needed to be honest with her sister so she decided she would call her as soon as she got back to her own room. Since her mom hadn't left a voicemail, that translated into whatever she needed to tell her was not important so she ignored her mom's call; they could chat another day, Beth was too drained to deal with her today. She looked around the room for her clothes and saw only a white robe with slippers laid out on the chair. Pushing back the warm covers, she slipped out the side of the bed and pulled on the plush robe, securing it around her waist.

She gingerly opened the door to the bathroom and stepped inside. The face she saw in the mirror, almost gave her a heart attack. Her makeup was everywhere; mascara and eyeshadow smeared on her eyelids and down her face; her hair, which she'd loaded with hairspray, was knotty and matted even though Darcy had taken it down last night. She quickly used the toilet, wincing as ass cheeks protested the weight. When she stood up, she frowned at the reddish tint she saw in the bowl; he hadn't even brought up her virginity last night, which mean there was an awkward conversation coming this morning. Just thinking about everything they had done last night made her body warm with arousal. Moving back in front of the mirror, she grabbed a washcloth and did her best to clean off the makeup that had stained her face. Her hair calmed down as she ran her fingers through it, finally making her look presentable.

She went back into the bedroom and saw no evidence of her dress or other belongings. _Looks like the robe it is._ Tightening the sash and making sure everything was covered, she opened the bedroom door slowly, unsure of what to expect. That door only opened into a small entry room, the exit from which was on her left, an open doorframe that lead into the rest of the apartment. Since that entryway was off to the side, it obscured her ability to see very far into the rest of the apartment; she only really could see part of a hallway. She quietly moved to the side of the doorway and peeked around the corner; her eyes squinting at all the light inundating them from the living room windows. As her eyes quickly adjusted, she took in her surroundings. There was a large living room off to the left, complete with a grand piano. Across the hall was a dining room, the table filled with breakfast food that she could smell from there; her stomach grumbled loudly at the sight. Past the dining room, all she could see was mostly just the main walkway and a few closed doors.

Moving to the center of the doorframe, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, preparing to search out the man who infuriated and impassioned her.

 _No searching necessary._ When her eyes opened, Darcy was standing in the dining room doorway staring at her. Her mouth parted and went dry as she took in the sight of him, shirtless his tanned body would make a Greek God jealous; he had loose sweatpants on that sat tantalizingly low on his hips. He stared at her, hunger igniting in his eyes as his jaw clenched in restraint.

"Good morning, Miss Bennet."

"I think it's probably ok to call me 'Beth' after everything…" She trailed off, realizing the unintended attitude in her tone. _At least she wasn't standing there speechless at the sight of him._

His eyebrows raised in surprise at her unconscious attempt to provoke him knowing how that made him react, and knowing how sore her ass must be this morning.

"So you get to be called Beth and I get to be called 'Mr. Intolerable'?" He asked with smirk.

Her subsequent silence and deep blush indicated that she recognized her mistake, Darcy gave her a half smile.

"I ordered everything on the breakfast menu. You should eat something." He moved so that she could see behind him into the room to the table covered in food.

 _Of course he did._ Beth sighed and rolled her eyes at his commanding tone. _What about him? Had he eaten?_ He looked like he wanted to eat her for breakfast, that was for sure; his thin sweats not concealing well his arousal. She couldn't comprehend how he could desire her like this, her hair and face a mess, covered in a giant, unattractive hotel robe. Her stomach grumbled, reminding her that he was right. She did need to eat something.

Giving her a stare that said that he had heard her body, he turned and walked into the dining room, taking a seat at the head of the table and picked up the Wall Street Journal that was waiting for him. Beth followed him into the room, looking at the buffet laid out on the table. _He wasn't kidding._ He really had ordered everything on the menu: eggs cooked in every possible way, bacon, sausage, toast, pancakes, fruit, smoked salmon, yogurt and granola, cereal, muffins, croissants. Her mouth was watering. She picked up a plate and loaded it with scrambled eggs, some bacon, 2 pancakes, pineapple, and a chocolate croissant. Darcy looked over from his newspaper at her plate and nodded approvingly. Not that she cared at this point what he thought of her eating habits, she was starving.

She glanced over at Darcy as he picked up his cup of coffee and took a sip; he looked like a model. As he put the glass back down, she saw his knuckles were split and bruised. Remembering that he had punched George brought back a rush of concern for her friend.

"Is George ok?" She saw his face darken at the mention of that name.

"He's fine. The doctor checked him again this morning," he said tightly.

"Oh, good." Her sigh of relief seemed to irritate him more. "You didn't have to punch him, you know. He was drunk. I'm sure he doesn't even remembering saying those things."

The stare he gave her chilled her to the bone. "Do you enjoy provoking me?"

Beth bit her lip. _Ok, Mr. Intolerable, guess that subject is off limits._

She looked away and began eating again when she realized that he hadn't fixed himself a plate.

"Aren't you going to eat?"

He looked up at her from his paper, his eyes hungry with desire. "What I'm going to eat isn't quite ready yet."

His eyes bore into hers, his subtle meaning quite clear as to just what he planned on eating. If she hadn't just finished a bite, she probably would have choked at his nonchalant insinuation; her mouth parting and sucking in a gasp of air. Her whole body was immediately on fire, her face flushing; she shifted in her chair to cross her legs as she felt wetness seep out from between her thighs. Man, she really wished she would have found her underwear this morning. "If you mean breakfast though, I had some before I went to the gym this morning." He took a sip of his coffee and went back to reading his paper.

The injection of anticipation into her veins completely quenched any remaining hunger. She set her fork down and pushed her plate away, grateful that she had eaten most of the food on it. Remembering how she looked, Beth stood up from the table suddenly very self-conscious about her appearance and cleanliness.

"I'm going to take a shower," she responded to his raised eyebrows. "If that's ok."

His eyes darkened as he nodded his assent.

She crossed the hall back into the bedroom, glancing at the bed and wondering what she was in store for. In the bathroom, she checked to make sure there was shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel inside of the shower. She turned on the water, letting it start to steam up the room. Dropping the bath robe on the floor next to the shower door, she stepped into the hot stream of water. She closed her eyes as the heat warmed and washed her body, soothing her aching muscles. Squirting some shampoo into her hands, she lathered it into her hair, massaging her head for a minute before turning around to let the water wash away the suds. Her eyes were closed as she rinsed out her hair when she felt a cool breeze rush over the front of her body; her nipples hardened with the sudden temperature change, goosebumps spreading all over her body. She didn't have to see at that moment to know that Darcy had opened the shower door and was watching her.

Wiping her face with her hands to make sure there was no soap left in her eyes, she moved her head out of the shower stream and opened her eyes; her gaze instantly meeting his. He stood outside the shower, with the door open, naked and very aroused. Fire burned through her; her body greedily awaiting the pleasure his stare promised.

"I'll wash you." His brief attempt at an explanation.

 _Sounded like that wasn't all he was going to do._ And she was more than fine with it. Even though they had barely talked, about anything, all she felt around him was the consuming desire to be with him; he was like an addiction and she only came to her senses once Mr. High (and Mighty) was gone. He stepped into the shower, ending all thought.

She stood there, taking in the spectacular sight of him, aroused and glisteningly covered in water. He reached around her and grabbed the conditioner, squeezing some into him palm.

"Turn around." She obeyed mutely, stepping slightly out of the water and giving him her back. He lathered the conditioner in his hands and slowly massaged it into her hair and scalp. Her eyes closed and she felt like she could have fallen asleep right there; he was an incredible masseur. He massaged her temples, along the top of her head, and when he got to the back of her neck, her head draped forward in utter relaxation. He spun her back to face him and inched her back under the water, letting it wash the conditioner out of her hair.

She peeked out at him from under her lashes as he began to lather up a wash cloth with soap. His face was intensely focused on his task, but she could feel the desire radiating off of him. His arousal was hard and very, very large. _No wonder she was sore down there._ As he finished, she turned back around into the water to wash off her face, suddenly self-conscious about standing in front of him naked. She crossed her arms over her chest and waited for him to make his next move.

She felt the soft, soap-lathered cotton on the tops of her shoulders, rubbing gentle circles as he washed her back. She'd never had anyone wash her back before. Boy, could she get used to this. Done with her back, she heard him bend down as he began to wash her legs. Moving up from her ankles to her calves, to her thighs, she winced slightly as the washcloth skimmed her ass, the skin still tender from his spanking. His strong hands massaged her sore cheeks as he gently washed her skin, brushing the cloth in between her thighs purposefully close to her swollen folds. She found herself sighing into the shower stream, enjoying his reverential treatment.

Resting his hands on her shoulders, he moved her around to face him again so he could finish his task. She moved her forearms up and crossed them over her chest, semi-shielding her upper body from his view. He scowled at her, the expression marring his pristinely handsome face. His hands moved down from her shoulders to unlock her arms and force them to her side. A look of desirous appreciation replaced the scowl and she saw his jaw muscles flex as his teeth clenched in need.

"God, you are exquisite." His words came out on a harsh whisper, and judging from how much larger his erection became, he really meant it.

 _Not quite the word she would use to describe herself, especially her naked self; when he looked at her like that though, she could easily believe him._

Her lips parted as it became harder to breath with him staring at her like that. She knew her nipples were hard and aching with arousal, in spite of the warmth of the shower, and she had a feeling that water wasn't the only thing that was running down the insides of her thighs. She shifted her feet closer together, trying to assuage the ache forming between her legs.

Her movement recalled him to his task and he reached for her right hand. Pulling her palm to his mouth, his kissed it as his other hand washed her arm. She gave a small moan at the pleasure that crawled from her palm to her breasts, to her core.

He repeated the exercise with her left arm, his gaze never leaving hers - a promise of what was to come. With both her arms back at her sides, he continued his progress onto her breasts. She inhaled sharply as the washcloth brushed over her aching nipple. He gently kneaded each swollen breast, taking extra time teasing her nipples until she was biting her bottom lip to keep from screaming at the torture. She couldn't contain a moan as he set down the cloth and used his hands to wipe away the suds from her body. They weighed and plumped each breast, his thumbs brushing continuously over her nipples. She moaned as her hips began to unconsciously rock forward towards him; her stomach brushed the tip of his erection and she heard him hiss as his hands froze. She saw he was so close to losing control, _and god, did she want him to._

Their eyes stayed locked for the moment it took for him to regain himself enough to pick up the washcloth and finish his job. Before he touched her again, he leaned forward, his face next to her ear. Her mouth parted as he licked around the edge of her ear and whispered,

"You're going to come again. When I tell you to." Hit bit her earlobe as he pulled his face away. She felt her inner muscles clench in anticipation of his promise.

He brought the washcloth down to her folds and she almost collapsed at his first touch. Seeing her unsteadiness, he moved her arms up to rest her hands on his shoulders, allowing her to use him for support. She couldn't hold his stare as his hand returned to her center, lazily rubbing the cloth between her folds and over her clit. She was completely aroused; gripping his shoulders, she tried to push herself against his hand, wanting, needing more pressure on her core. She was dangerously close to orgasming, holding her breath as the waves of pleasure brought her right to the brink, and then gasping in air as Darcy let off and pulled her back.

"Not until I say," he scolded. She moaned in protest and he dropped the washcloth onto the floor.

Gripping her hips, she thought he was going to turn her into the water again but instead her senses jarred as he pushed her back against the cold tile wall; her whole body burned, the hot and cold blending and further heightening the sensations running chaotically through her body.

She watched him get down onto his knees and turn his head into the spray, opening his mouth to collect the water. His hands pressed her legs apart, as he faced her again, mouth full of water. Their gazes locked as he moved his face in between her thighs and she felt his lips on hers. She gasped loudly as he buried his mouth in her folds and pushed the water out, rinsing the area he had torturously washed. She moaned, her head falling back against the wall, unable to distinguish for a moment whether it was the water or his tongue pressuring and massaging her clit. His mouth left her to refill once more with water; her knees began to feel like jello and when his mouth and the jet of water returned to caressing her core, she didn't know if she was even standing on her own anymore. Her hands moved to his head, threading through his hair, pressing him closer to her. His mouth empty of water, he licked and sucked her until she knew nothing else except the orgasm she was searching for. Distantly, she heard herself moaning, begging him for release.

" _Please."_

The next instant, his mouth was gone. He stood up and with his erection poised at her entrance, dancing lightly over her clit, holding her at the very edge. He looked at her and said, "I want to watch your face as I enter you and then you are going to come." She moaned deeply at his words, trying to sink herself onto him. "Do you understand?"

" _Yes, sir. Please."_ Her words and her eyes pleaded with him to finish her.

" _Now!"_ He yelled as he rammed into her, entering her to the hilt in one stroke, the tip of his erection hitting her G-spot and shooting her over the edge. Her release shot through her like lightening, pleasure searing every cell, and she screamed his name. He pumped into her hard as her release precipitated his. She heard his groan in her ear as she felt his arousal pumping his semen into her.

When her other senses finally returned, she realized that he was holding her up against the wall of the shower which was still spraying them with a steady stream of warm water. Her forehead had fallen to rest on his shoulder and she heard his ragged breaths in her left ear as his body calmed from his release. She saw him let his left hand go of her and reach over to turn off the shower. She wanted to tell him that she probably needed to wash again after what just happened but she was too drained to say anything. Her limbs felt like jello and she knew she still needed a few minutes before she could stand on her own. He pulled out of her and she immediately felt the loss; she must have sighed because she heard him give a small laugh that seemed like a promise.

"Can you stand?" he angled his face to look at her as she answered.

"I think so." _Well, that was a lie._ She didn't want to look like a complete fool in front of him though. His head was already big enough.

He lowered her feet to the floor and slowly released his other arm, opening the shower door to grab them towels.

Well, she could stand so it wasn't a lie. Walking, on the other hand,…not so much. She attempted to step towards him to grab one of the towels to cover herself and her knees buckled and she felt herself falling back; and just like the first time, Darcy caught her with an angry 'you lied to me' look on his face. He picked her up as if she weighed nothing, carried her out of the shower and laid her down on the bed. She tried to grab one of the towels from him but he held them out of reach.

"I will dry you," he glared.

Unlike the washing, he dried her quickly and efficiently, leaving a towel between her hair and the bed so that it didn't soak through the sheets. When he was done, she tried to sit up but his hand on her should stopped her.

"We aren't done yet." He stood from the bed, grabbed the other towels and walked back into the bathroom. She couldn't help but notice that his penis was still elongated and semi-erect and wondered if he was going to take her again, so soon. The thought went straight to her core and she felt herself getting wet again.

She stayed on the bed but kept herself propped up on her elbows trying to figure out what he was doing, what he was going to do. She heard the sink turn on and back off again before he appeared in the doorway with a washcloth in his hand. _Again?_ She must have raised her eyebrows in question because he gave her a small smile as he knelt once again between her legs as they dangled off the side of the bed.

Pushing her thighs farther apart, he gently washed the remnants of himself off of her sensitive core. At first, the washcloth was painful, her clit still so stimulated and engorged, but after the first few strokes, the pain transformed into pleasure. Even though his movements weren't intentionally arousing, as they had been in the shower, she felt the pressure begin to build inside her again. When she felt the washcloth disappear, her eyes opened, glazed over with pleasure, as she found him staring at her exposed folds.

"You are so wet. So beautiful." At his comments, she felt a new surge of wetness release from inside her. He groaned and raised his eyes to hers. "I need to taste you as you come," he said as he lowered his mouth to her again.

At the first sweep of his tongue, her hips jerked up towards him. She let herself lay back onto the bed so her arms could extend to tangle her fingers in his hair. She gripped his scalp as his tongue lapped at her, sometimes darting inside her to stroke her inner muscles.

"This is what I wanted for breakfast all morning," he said against her folds.

She moaned again and again as his tongue licked and swirled around her clit. Her legs tensed as her head moved back and forth on the bed. His hands had moved under her to grip her ass to angle her further open for him. Faster. Harder. His tongue became demanding, flicking over her clit furiously as she spiraled toward the edge. Just when she knew she couldn't wait any longer, he pulled her clit into his mouth and sucked hard. She screamed and shattered. Her hips jerked up again as she orgasmed. Just when the first wave of her climax had begun to subside, his mouth left her as he stood and entered her. Her body was overwhelmed with sensations of pleasure, her inner muscles clenching his erection with the remaining waves of her climax, at the same time, as he pumped into her, a new orgasm began to build on the remnant of the last.

She couldn't think; she couldn't breathe. All she felt was the pleasure building even higher than before as he drove into her again and again.

"You're. Coming. Again," he grunted out each word each time he pushed fully into her.

Her head moved back and forth and she felt tears on her cheeks. The pleasure was too sharp, too strong, she didn't think she could orgasm again like this; it was too much.

"Again. Again," he repeated the word over and over every time he breached her body.

His strokes became faster and harder. He pounded into her furiously, chanting "again." All she felt was pleasure, it overwhelmed her. She didn't know if she was close to orgasming or not, the pleasure was too intense. She knew he was about to climax when he thrusts became wild and frantic. Suddenly his hand was between them and he thumbed and pinched her clit sending her soaring over the edge, screaming as she felt his hot release inject into her. He kept pumping into her, his release continuing as the waves of her orgasm kept her inner muscles clenching him, wringing every drop of semen out of him.

When he was finally spent, he pulled out of her and sat off on the side of the bed, picking up the washcloth again and very gently cleaning her for the third time this morning.

Beth felt like she was floating. She could hardly feel her limbs; everything felt numb from the pleasure. Her eyelids felt like a million pounds as she forced them open to watch him as he cleaned her and then himself before taking the washcloth back into bathroom. They must have drifted closed again, because she struggled to open them as she realized she was being lifted to lay the right way on the bed, with her head on the pillow of his arm as he lay next to her, holding her. _Always has to do things the proper way._

With a small smile, in her pleasure-filled stupor, she caught his gaze, "I like you, Mr. Darcy. Too much, I think. Definitely too much.." She trailed off as she lost her train of thought and the ability to keep her eyes open. Drifting off to sleep she thought she heard his soft response, "I think I love you." Darcy would never say those things though, it was just her dream.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Beth awoke alone, again, in the giant bed in Darcy's bedroom. The impression of where he had laid with her was still evident on the covers next to her. _Well at least I didn't imagine that part._ At some point though he had gotten up before her. Looking at the clock on his side of the bed, she saw it was almost noon and that she'd napped for almost an hour. To be honest, she still felt completely drained. _Who knew sex was so exhausting?_

This time when she sat up in bed, she saw a complete outfit folded and set out on the chair by the door. Draped over the back of the chair was a garment bag with her dress in it from the night that looked like it had been dry-cleaned. Her shoes were sitting next to the chair along with her purse and a pair of flip flops. She picked up the bra and underwear on the chair, examining them and wondering how Darcy had figured out her size. She put them on and pulled on the jeans and white t-shirt that were folded underneath. Slipping her feet into the correctly sized Valentino flip flops, she deduced that Darcy had had all of her clothes taken and cleaned this morning which allowed him, or more likely someone who worked for him, to go out and get her an outfit and shoes. _Very sneaky._ It still warmed her on the inside to know that he had gone through so much trouble when she had a change of clothes waiting in her room on the fifth floor. Quickly stopping in the bathroom to pee again, she tossed her hair up in a messy bun since it had only semi-dried while she had napped.

Walking more confidently out of the bedroom this time, she glanced at the living room and into the dining room looking for Darcy. Not seeing him, she stood in the main entryway and looked around. To her left were two doors that were closed, to the right was another, shorter hallway. She chose to explore that hall first, discovering first an ensuite gym on the left, and the kitchen at the end of the hallway; neither containing the man she was looking for. Moving back to the center of the apartment, she crossed the main hall and knocked on the set of closed double doors she had seen on the left - no response. Finding the doors unlocked, she opened them to enter into Darcy's office. She was surprised to see a small mess of papers on the desk, whereas everything else was excessively organized; he must have left in a hurry. Leaving the room, she closed the doors behind her, turning to the only door left. It opened into a short extension of the hallway and contained three more closed doors: one on the left, one on the right, and one straight ahead. The door on the left opened into a spare bedroom, seemingly untouched by Darcy. The door on the right led back out to the main entrance to the suite. The third door, at the end of the hall however, was locked. What was strange was that she noticed the doorknob could be locked from the outside; none of the other knobs in the suite were like that.

 _What are you hiding?_

She heard a knock on the front door of the suite, and quickly turned around not wanting to be caught snooping. She looked out of the peephole to see a room service cart sitting outside. Opening the door, she was greeted by an elderly woman in hotel uniform.

"Good afternoon, m'dear," she said, giving Beth a warm smile, "I'm Mrs. Grace. I've brought up some lunch for you. Mr. William said you might be hungry."

"Oh. Ok, thank you." Beth moved aside and opened the door wider allowing Mrs. Grace to push the cart into the suite. Surprised that the older woman called Darcy by his first name, she wondered if she knew what happened to him. "Do you know where Mr. Darcy is?"

"Oh, no I don't, dear. He just gave a call a little earlier to make sure there was lunch brought up for his guest." When she saw Beth's face fall at the news she continued, "I'm sure he wouldn't leave you here without an explanation. He is a man, of course, so we can't have too high of an expectation for him," she paused here to chuckle at her joke which made Beth smile, "but I've known him for a long time and that's not like Mr. William, always very courteous." She finished her thought a reassuring smile for Beth. "Did you check for a note?"

 _This woman clearly didn't know Darcy that well, or she would know he was infamous for leaving without explanation._

"Ahh, no.. I didn't."

"Well, I would do that. I'm sure he would have left something. Anywho, dear, I've brought you up some iced tea and turkey and ham sandwiches. I wasn't sure which you would like." She uncovered the dishes as she spoke, unveiling two giant sandwiches; her stomach grumbled loudly at the sight.

"How long have you known him?" Beth inquired.

"Ahh, yes well, I've been his housekeeper these twenty-odd years now, whether he's in an actual house, apartment, or hotel suite; I take care of it. I used to work for his father at the family house and then when he passed, Mr. William asked if I would be willing to travel with him to keep everything in order. So right now this lovely space is his home for the time being." Mrs. Grace smiled warmly at her, "Well, eat up! I'll be back in a little while to take the tray and clean the suite. Just hit the number one on the phone if you need anything before then, dear." Gathering the lids, she promptly left the room, closing the front door behind her.

She was really hungry, she hadn't even realized how much until the food appeared. Her hunger was only superseded by her annoyance with Darcy for disappearing again. _A note._ She hadn't even thought to look or check her phone. Jogging back in the bedroom, she saw her phone still sitting on the nightstand with a white sheet of paper resting beside it. Picking up the paper she read his note.

 _Beth,_

 _A friend called about an urgent matter that he needed my assistance with. I apologize for leaving, but I didn't want to wake you._

 _I'm having my housekeeper make you some lunch._

 _I'll see you when I get back,_

 _Darcy_

Not exactly a love note, but at least it was something. She picked up her phone sending a message to Jane and Char that she would call them soon. First, she needed food.

Grabbing the plate with the turkey sandwich, she went into the living room and sat down on the piano bench so she could look out the windows while she ate; the view of central park was breathtaking. It was no wonder this was where Darcy had chosen to stay while he was in the city.

She called Char while she ate, telling her that she had just ordered lunch to her hotel room and then was going to head home; Char seemed convinced, either that or preoccupied; it turned out to be preoccupied with some news that she'd been waiting to tell Beth.

"So I'm sure you're wondering what I'm all excited about," Char began, allowing Beth to mumble her agreement. "Well, I don't know if you saw or heard, but I was dancing with Bill last night. Now, before you say anything, I know this is Bill Collins we are talking about. Don't judge me, but we had such a good time together. I mean we've been talking a lot recently at some of the major functions and I didn't want to say anything to you because it's Bill Collins, but last night he told me he wanted to be in a committed relationship with me; basically that he wanted to date me but you know how he's so awkward about everything. He even asked me out on our first official date."

 _What was the word coming to?!_ First, she slept with, and gave her virginity to, Mr. Intolerable and now Char was falling for Bill _freaking_ Collins.

"I ahh don't know what to say."

"I know, I know. He has a temper and is weird but he's really nice and funny to me and who knows where it will go, but I think we both want something serious." She started to sound like Jane did when she talked about Charles.

"I mean, I'm happy for you Char, really. I want you to be happy, even if it is with Bill. I'm sure he's a good guy. I just don't know him that well, and only from a work perspective and then with the whole transfer of the firm to Charles Bingley; which he definitely wasn't happy about but that doesn't matter as long as he treats you right."

"He really does. I just want this to work so badly. I mean, even my mother was pleased at the prospect, which is saying a lot because she never approves of anyone I date."

Beth wasn't sure that her mother's approval was something Char should really be striving for but she didn't say anything. She knew how much her friend wanted to please her parents, but even more than that, how much she wanted to be in a serious relationship with someone who appreciated her.

"I'm truly happy for you Char even if it still comes as a shock haha. So what did he say last night? Did he kiss you?" Beth instigated her in sharing her story of the night so that Beth could finish eating her lunch.

As she got to the end of her story where they left for the night, Char stopped and exclaimed, "Oh my God! I was totally distracted. What the hell happened between Mr. Darcy and George Wickham?"

Beth choked on the last bite of her sandwich, not sure what to tell her friend.

"I don't know, really. George came up to me, very drunk, and said something inappropriate and Darcy punched him."

"OH MY GOD BETH! I knew the man had the hots for you. Darcy, I mean, not George. George I think has the hots for anyone. I knew there was no way he would treat you like he did if he di—"

Beth's other line started ringing and she saw that it was Jane. Knowing that she needed to talk to her sister and sort everything out, not to mention the added benefit of avoiding a conversation about Darcy at the moment, she cut Char off, "Hey Jane is calling me so I gotta run. I'll call you later. Thanks, bye!" She hung up and switched lines before giving Char a chance to respond.

"Hello?"

"Hey."

"I was just about to call you actually." Not quite the truth but she had been thinking about it.

"Oh, are you still at Char's?" Beth winced, reminded of her lie.

"No, I'm actually back at the hotel. I had to finished up a couple of things after last night." Her response not far from the truth. "Are you home?"

"Yeah, I slept late and then Lydia called to talk to me about George. I guess something happened after we left. I'm not sure exactly."

"Oh, interesting. Well I'm on my way home now if you're going to be home when I get there we can talk. I want to hear all about your night!" Beth steered the conversation away from any discussion about what had happened with Wickham and Darcy.

"Yeah, I'll be here. I have some stuff to tell you too." Even though she was trying to hide it, Beth could hear the muffled excitement in her voice.

"Ok, I'll be there soon. Bye." Beth hung up and sat back on the couch for a minute. _What was she going to do?_

Should she leave Darcy a note? He clearly expected her to still be here when he returned but now, she had to go see Jane. Plus, she wasn't some little play thing that just needed to be provided with clothes and food and she would just stay put and accommodate him. _Although it felt really good accommodating him._

Shaking off that thought, she got up from the couch and went into the kitchen to wash off her plate. She had to admit that she didn't want to leave, and not just because she was wondering what other sexual fantasies he would fulfill, but because they still really hadn't had a chance to talk about anything. Granted, she felt a little more secure in how he felt about her, but that didn't change anything that he had said or done in the past and she needed an explanation.

However, she was determined that she wouldn't regret what happened last night. Or this morning. Both times. _Ugh._ She wasn't going to wait around for him to show back up, no matter how much she wanted to talk to him. She had a life and other people that she had obligations to. Not to mention that he could have, at least, left his cell phone number. What if she hadn't gotten that note? What if she needed to get ahold of him, for an emergency?

 _Whatever._ She needed to leave and he was just going to have to deal with it. Deciding to leave him a note in return, she grabbed a sheet of the hotel stationary off the desk in the office and left him a note in return.

 _Darcy,_

 _I'm sorry for leaving, but you didn't give me any other way to reach you and I had to go meet Jane._

 _Your housekeeper is lovely and lunch was delicious._

 _Since it didn't seem to be a problem for you to find out anything and everything else about me, I'm confident that you'll be able to source out my cell number if you want to reach me._

 _Beth_

 _P.S. - Thank you for the perfectly-sized clothes, by the way._

Leaving the note on the table in the front entryway, Beth grabbed her stuff and made her way out of the suite. Just before the door clicked behind her, she stopped to make sure that she had all of her belongings, realizing that once the door closed she had no way of getting back in; unless, somehow, she found Mrs. Grace. _Cellphone. Purse. Shoes. Dress._ That was it. As the door clicked behind her, she felt like she had locked in everything about last night, everything that they had done, everything he had said; it was like they had been encased in a safe space where no one knew about them or could damage them. Leaving the suite was like leaving a separate life, where it had just been her and Darcy, nothing else to complicate whatever was between them. Now, as she rode the elevator down to the lobby, it almost seemed like a dream that couldn't have possible happened.

As she trekked through the city back to her apartment, she wondered if she should even tell Jane about last night; that would make it real, verbalizing everything to an outsider, even if that outsider was her sister and best friend. What would Jane think? Should she tell her _everything?_ Should she leave out the part about losing her virginity? Telling Jane everything would make what they had done concrete, it would allow her to be hurt again, publicly; keeping it to herself was the safer option in case it didn't work out. Except that left her to not only sort through her emotions on her own, but meant she would have to continue to lie and keep things from Jane.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

By the time she reached their apartment Beth was still deciding how much, if anything, she was going to tell Jane. Jane looked up from her book on the couch when she entered. With a small smile Jane immediately got up and came over to hug her.

"I'm sorry Beth."

"Sorry for what? You didn't do anything." _This is so not your fault, Jane._

"I just feel like something has been going on and I've done something that's made it hard for you to talk to me. So I'm sorry for whatever that something is. I want you to know that I'm here for you." It was just like Jane to try to take the blame for whatever situation was going on; she was always more concerned with fixing any situation than being right. In that moment, Beth knew she couldn't keep things from her sister anymore.

"It's not your fault. It's mine. I've been struggling with this whole Mr. Darcy situation. I won't lie, hearing you talk about Charles began to become hard for me but instead of talking to you about it, I tried to handle it on my own and it blew up in my face. So, I'm sorry for shutting you out."

"I'm sorry, Beth. Had I known, I wouldn't have said so—"

"No, stop. Seriously don't apologize. This is all on me. It is what it is and I just want to talk to you and let you know what's been happening and move forward," Beth cut her off and moved them both back over to the couch. "Ok, where to start. Well, the night that dad told Bill that Charles would be taking over the firm, Mr. Darcy caught me in the hall and kissed me again. After what you had told me, I won't lie that I was hopeful and excited and nervous to see him. I had played the scene out over and over again in my head and when he kissed me I really thought he was going to open up and everything was going to happen like I imagined. Well, obviously from our subsequent discussion at the table, that's not quite what happened." Beth finished her story of that evening to a shocked Jane, who tried again to take part of the blame for Beth's disappointment that night because it was her fault for getting her hopes up. "So it's really not your fault. I should have known how he would react but I've just never been so attracted to someone like this before and it just consumed me; I built my expectations up so high that reality was a hard fall short."

"I just can't believe he told you that he wanted you to leave him alone especially after what he said to me. I'm so sorry, Beth. I never would have told you if I thought he would be such a jerk about it afterward; he just seemed so sincere, like he couldn't help but tell me how he felt because it was all he was feeling." At this point, Jane was almost in tears for the role she had played in this scenario, beating herself up for being fooled by what must have been a miscommunication or a momentary delusion on his part. "I know all about how it feels to have your hopes up, only to have some guy crush them. I feel terrible that I put you in that position."

Beth reassured her, again, that it wasn't her fault and that she had insisted she tell her. Moving past that episode before Jane got too worked up, Beth told her how she decided to put the whole thing behind her, move on, and forget about Darcy; that she thought it was going really well until the email from Mrs. DeBourgh informing her that Darcy was Anne's date for the evening. She had lost something that she thought she hadn't wanted, but she was wrong and it had devastated her; that's why she stayed at the office that night.

"It's just so not like me, you know. I'm always the independent one - doesn't need anyone, doing my own thing, not distracted by my emotions. But since Darcy, all I can think about is him. I feel like his kiss flipped a switch inside me where all I want is to be with him. Looking at my life before him and the independence I was so proud of, now just seems lonely. Everything I've accomplished, I'm still proud of, but I feel like I'm missing someone to share in my successes, to push me to be better. Meeting him, kissing him, began to put cracks in my mindset on life and then thinking that I had lost him to Anne felt like my whole perspective came crashing down around me." This is how it always happened when she talked to Jane. She would start with what she thought she wanted to say and then all of a sudden the floodgates would open and she'd be able to finally articulate all of what she was feeling; the relief was indescribable.

"Oh sweetie, I'm so sorry. I wish I could have been there for you; I could have told you that it's ok to need other people in your life - present company included. It doesn't take away from you or your goals or successes. Now, I certainly don't have all the answers when it comes to that area, but I think that if you want to share your life with someone, it will only make you stronger," Jane asserted. "If you want my opinion though, they didn't really look like they were a couple though at the ball. I mean, certainly good friends, but nothing overly romantic. Not that I was paying a lot of attention to them." Here she blushed, obviously recognizing that she had been distracted with Charles the whole time.

"I know, but considering how Darcy treated me - someone he was at least remotely attracted to - I just figured that him being nice was the most you could expect if you were in a relationship with him," Beth said, drawing a laugh from her sister. "Plus, having to hear Mrs. DeBourgh talk about them and their future all night, especially once mom hinted at you and Charles getting engaged, just solidified it in my mind." Beth gave Jane a look as she mentioned their mother's assertion about her upcoming engagement.

Jane eyes moved downward and her hands began to fidget in her lap.

"Jane?" Beth raised her eyebrows at her sister when she remained curiously silent, her cheeks starting to turn red.

"Jane, did Charles propose? Are you engaged already?" Beth frantically asked her, to shocked to even finish telling her what happened after the ball.

"No, no. Not yet," Jane quickly reassured her. "But we talked about it, in hypothetical terms. He asked if I would consider marrying someone that I've only known for such a short time, but I don't want to talk about Charles if it's going to upset you."

"Oh my God! Jane! He wants to marry you! What did you say? You can't tell me that and then not say anything else."

"Well, I told him that it depended on the person but that I wouldn't strictly be against it. I would want to know a little bit more about the person, so maybe a longer engagement, but no, I wouldn't turn him, or someone, down just based on how long we've been together." Jane was clearly nervous about the conversation and its implications. She kept fidgeting with her hands and fingers and couldn't look Beth right in the eye as she spoke.

"Would you say yes? That's what I want to know!" Beth laughed, pushing her sister for a straightforward answer.

"I don't know. He hasn't asked." Jane tried to tiptoe around an answer but Beth gave her a glare. "Ok, alright, yes, if he asked I would say yes."

"Jane, that's wonderful! I'm so happy for you! Oh my God!"

"Well, it hasn't happened yet, although dad said Charles asked to meet with him this afternoon, and we are supposed to be going to dinner tonight, but I'm not getting my hopes up. I really like him and I don't want the expectation of something that might not happen to ruin how I feel about him." She was clearly trying to talk herself down, but the excitement she felt was shining through.

"I can't believe this. He's crazy about you Jane, you should get your hopes up. Is that why mom said those things last night? Did you tell her all this?"

"No. Well, yes, it's why she probably made comments about an engagement but I didn't tell her. I think she saw Charles talking to me alone and then when we got back to the table, our conversation kind of continued on the topic of marriage which I'm sure she was trying to listen in on."

"Did she ask you about it after you left last night?"

"Well, no. That's the other thing. Charles brought me home last night." Jane's face turned beet red.

"OH MY GOD. What happened? Did he stay here?" Beth asked, astounded; she couldn't have in a million years pictured Jane having sex before marriage. They both had dated before and had done _things,_ so they weren't completely innocent, but Jane wanted to save that type of intimacy for marriage and Beth, she had just never been attached or attracted enough to anyone to want that. _Until Darcy._

"Oh, no. Absolutely not. Charles is a gentleman. He brought me home and then he just stayed for a little bit before leaving; he wanted to make sure I was ok after the drinks that I had had." Charles was really perfect for her.

"So, what happened? Did he kiss you? Stop avoiding the question," Beth prodded.

"I'm not! Yes, he kissed me. We did a lot of kissing, but that was it. I promise. You know I wouldn't have sex with someone without being married, especially with someone whom I've only known for such a brief time." Beth calmed down when she heard that her sister was still the same person she always knew her to be.

"Ok, ok. Well, how was it? Was it magical? Is he a good kisser?" By this point, Beth had completely forgotten about everything _she_ had done last night; she was too wrapped up in her sister's story.

"I think so. I mean, I really liked it. I haven't kissed that many people, Beth." Jane rolled her eyes.

"You've kissed more than me, that's for sure."

"Well, he was definitely the best yet but that's all I'm going to say." With that secretive comment, Jane stood up and went into the kitchen to heat some water for tea.

"I just can't believe all this, Jane. I'm so happy for you." Beth stared after her sister.

"Thank you," she said shyly. "So what happened at the ball last night? I saw Char dancing with Bill; I hope you said something her her about that. Wait a minute, I also saw you dancing with Mr. Darcy as we were leaving! Something must have happened between dinner the other night and that."

Beth felt her face starting to heat, thankfully Jane was still in the kitchen where she couldn't see her.

"Well, apparently Char and Bill are dating now. I know, I was floored too, but that's what she told me this morning."

"What! That's crazy. I mean, awesome for her. I guess I don't know him well enough personally, only professionally. In spite of his quirks, he is a very nice guy, very much a gentleman." Jane could find goodness in the Grinch if she was given the opportunity. "What about Mr. Darcy though?"

Beth started the story slowly, deciding as she went how much to divulge. She began with how she tried to blow him off at the beginning of the evening, not wanting to put herself in a position to be hurt. She moved onto the bathroom scene and her brief conversation with Anne.

"I saw how they interacted, I wonder what George has done to make him so mad. He seems like a nice enough guy and Lydia really likes him, that's for sure."

"Lydia likes anyone who is good-looking and willing to give her the time of day." Beth rolled her eyes, thinking about how shallow her younger sister was.

"Beth!" Jane scolded her, "Did something else happen with him though? Mom called me this morning, mostly about Charles, but she asked if you or I had heard from George; she'd heard that something happened and wanted to make sure he was ok."

"Well, yeah. There's that too but I'll get to that later. So, I was really pissed that Darcy sent her to chase after me and warn me to avoid George. You can't just tell me that he is a bad guy and then not give me any reason to believe you. Especially if I'm just meeting you for the first time. So, I said that and left. Dinner was pretty uneventful, I was mostly stuck between mom and Mrs. DeBourgh the whole time, who said in no uncertain terms that Darcy and Anne were a couple."

"Is that when you starting choking? I was worried."

"Yep. After dinner though, Darcy asked me to dance - this was the first time - and I was about to say 'no' but then George came over and said that I had promised to dance with him. Since I was pretty drunk by that time and angry and Darcy for sending Anne after me, I figured what better way to annoy him than to dance with someone who he clearly hates; it probably wasn't the best idea, but it felt good at the time."

"Oh, Beth."

"I know, I know. So after that I managed to avoid him until the end of the night when he asked me to dance again. Well, I think I ran into him and started to fall; I wasn't very steady on my feet at that point in the evening and he asked me to dance, but since he was already holding me I think we just started dancing. That part is a little fuzzy still."

"Did he say anything?"

"No. Well, he said 'please' when he asked me to dance. I wasn't sure that word was in his vocabulary," Beth said wryly, continuing before Jane could comment, "As I was going to leave though, George came back over to us and said some inappropriate things to me; he was completely wasted though, I doubt he even remembers. Anyway, what he said really set Darcy off, so Darcy punched him."

"Oh my God, Beth! Is he ok? Why would he do that?" Jane was shocked.

"He's fine. Darcy had some of the hotel staff come over and take him to his room and I think he even had a doctor sent up to the room to check on him. I would be surprised if he remembers any of it," Beth finished knowing that she'd reached the point in the story where she had to take the leap and tell Jane everything. On a sigh, she heard her stomach grumble and, reaching for her phone asked Jane, "What time are you leaving for dinner?"

"Charles said he was going to pick me up around five o'clock."

Beth found her phone to check the time. It was almost four; they had been talking for almost three hours and her mom had just tried to call her three times.

"Did mom try to call you?" she yelled to Jane.

"I don't think so. My phone is on the coffee table, you can look."

Beth reached over and check the phone - no calls from their mom, just two texts from Charles. She had a twinge of frustration that she had no way of contacting Darcy and that he hadn't gotten in touch with her yet. _He had to have gotten her note by now._

"You have two messages from Charles."

"Ok! I'll be right there."

Beth dialed her mom, wondering why she was the only one to be repeatedly called.

"Beth! Thank God. Why didn't you answer your phone? Are you with Jane? Is she ok?" her mom answer frantically.

"What? Yes, we were hanging out and I didn't realize that it was ringing. She's fine, why? What's wrong?"

"It's Charles."

"Is he ok? What happened?" Beth's face immediately fell in worry over their friend. Jane came back into the room with tea at that moment and saw the look of concern on her face. Jane quickly reached for her phone to read what he had sent.

"Yes, he's fine. Well, physically, but not mentally apparently. Your father just told me that the whole deal is on hold and that Charles is going back to Boston for the indefinite future."


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

"Wait, what? Why?" Beth asked in shock, darting her eyes to Jane to see if she had heard her.

"I don't know! He didn't say anything more than that to your father, trust me, I asked. Did he say anything to Jane?"

Beth looked back at her sister again, just in time to see Jane's face fall and her eyes glaze over with tears and she knew that Charles had said something.

"Are you positive that's all Charles said?"

"Yes! Well, no, it wasn't Charles! It was Mr. Darcy who called and spoke to your father. Charles was supposed to meet your dad and then a half an hour before the meeting, Mr. Darcy called him. That's why I asked if Charles said anything to Jane?"

Beth felt like she'd been punched in the stomach. She watched as the tears began to roll down Jane's cheeks. _Darcy did this._ She couldn't breathe. After everything that had happened last night, he woke up and left her to go out and destroy her sister and Charles' chance for happiness. _How could he?_

"Mom, I have to go." Beth hung up before her mom could interject any more questions. She had to be strong for Jane. She took a deep breath and focused on her sweet, kind, loving sister whose heart had just been shattered.

"Jane," she said softly, reaching out her hand to touch Jane's arm. Jane looked over at her with a blank stare in her eyes, tears trickling down her face. "Oh honey. What happened? What did he say?"

Jane's mouth started to move as though she wanted to answer, but couldn't. Instead her head ducked down as she swallowed hard and handed her phone to Beth for her to read.

 _Hey Jane. Sorry for the last minute notice but I won't be able to make dinner tonight. Have to head back to Boston for a while. I'm not sure when I'll be back._

 _Take care of yourself._

No reason. No explanation. _No mention of Darcy._ Beth would have expected this from Darcy; it was basically his trademark move - get close and then run. Charles was a completely different person though, or so she thought, she could never have imagined him doing this to Jane especially without any sort of justification. _It had to be Darcy's doing._ Pulling herself from the anger she felt starting to build inside her, she set Jane's phone down and pulled her sister in for a hug.

"I'm fine, Beth." A complete lie as Beth could hear the words getting choked up in her throat while her tears began to fall on Beth's shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Jane. I don't know why he would leave so suddenly. Maybe there was a family emergency?" She was grasping at straws, but she had to give her sister some sort of hope.

"Maybe, but he would have told me." Jane shook her head. "Maybe he just didn't like me enough. Or maybe all the talk about marriage was too much, too fast. Or maybe it's because I didn't sleep with him last night."

"I don't know, Jane. I do know that whatever the reason, it's a shitty one and he doesn't know what he is walking away from." Beth felt her own tears start to collect and fall, not just for her sister, but for herself.

She knew, even though she wouldn't get the courtesy of a text, that Darcy had gone with Charles. He'd left her this morning to meet with Charles and convince his friend to leave her sister broken-hearted. _How could she have been so stupid?_ She felt like it was her fault, that she had done something last night that made Darcy feel like he had to sever the bond between Jane and Charles. Maybe because they had invited Wickham? She shook her head, unable to imagine an excuse good enough to separate two people who were clearly in love. How could he have done this to Jane? Sweet, loving, perfect Jane. She didn't deserve this.

"Maybe I wasn't encouraging enough," Jane whispered through her tears.

"No, honey. I know you were, I saw it for myself. I'm sure that none of this is your fault and I have a feeling that Mr. Darcy is to blame for his leaving because this isn't like Charles at all. I saw him and I saw you, you are both in love with each other and whatever I must have done to Darcy has spurred him to try to break that. I know how Charles feels about you and whatever Darcy said to him won't last and he will be back," Beth tried desperately to console her sister who wept silently on her shoulder. She sat them both down on the couch and held Jane until she was too tired to cry any more.

While Jane dozed from her emotionally induced exhaustion, Beth extricated herself from her sister and, grabbing her phone, walked back to her bedroom to call her mom back.

"How could you hang up on me like that? I've been worried sick. I was about to come over there. How is she? Has she heard from him?"

"She's resting now, mom. She's upset. He texted her that he was leaving but he didn't really say anything else."

"It has to be that horrible Mr. Darcy. Charles would never do something to hurt Jane like this. And to think that he considers that man a friend," her mother huffed.

"I know. I told her the same thing, but what are we going to do? Charles loves her. He will be back."

"I just still can't believe it. I wish your father would have pressed him further on the phone, but that Mr. Darcy is so intimidating. What are we going to do about the firm now? Your father is adamant that it can't go to Bill. Whom I saw, by the way, dancing with Charlotte Lucas." And just like that her mother was on to the next tidbit of gossip. "What is going on there? Are they dating? How did we not know about it?"

"Yes, they're dating mom. It's not a big deal."

"Not a big deal? What if he is planning to leave the firm to go work for her father? What if he tries to take our clients?"

"Seriously, mom, stop. That's not happening and not going to happen. Char is my friend, our dads are friends, Mr. Lucas would never offer something like that to Bill," Beth said exasperated. When she finished, she heard some commotion coming from her mom's end of the phone, like one of her other sisters was talking.

' _Who is that? Is that Beth? Ask her what she did to George! And tell her that I can't believe her, dancing with my date. He. Is. Mine!'_

"Beth, dear, sorry that was Lydia. She's all upset about George. What happened to him? He was here this morning asking for you but he seemed very out of sorts and his left eye was almost swollen shut. Do you know anything about that? He says he doesn't remember."

"I, uhh, think he was really drunk before I left and picked a fight with another guest." Not a complete lie. _Good job, Beth._

"That doesn't sound like George at all, are you sure? But then why was he here asking for you? It made Lydia very upset." Her mother was started to sound suspicious and Beth was not in the mood to deal with that right now.

"Sorry, mom, Char is calling. Tell dad to give Jane the day off tomorrow. I'll either stay home or have Char come over and check on her. Thanks, bye!" _Click._

Beth laid back on her bed, grabbed a pillow and curled around it. Feeling safe in her own space, she let the tears she'd been holding back, fall. _It was just a dream;_ if only saying that a thousand times could make it true. She didn't want the images of her and Darcy that replayed in her head to be memories, she wanted them to be fantasies. She didn't want to feel hurt and betrayed again, and at her sister's expense.

When she woke, it was almost eight o'clock at night and her pillow was still wet from her tears. Immediately worried about Jane, she got up and went out into the living room. Her sister was no longer on the couch, but in the kitchen portioning out Chinese food from the travel containers onto two plates.

"Hey," Jane said weakly. Her eyes were red and swollen; she looked like a part of her had died and it broke Beth's heart. "I ordered us some Chinese. I figured neither of us wanted to go anywhere tonight."

"Yeah, thanks." Beth walked over to her sister and gave her a small hug. They both would have begun to cry again if their tear ducts hadn't been exhausted already.

Taking their plates back onto the couch, they sat down as Beth flipped through the channels trying to find something for them to watch. When she came across a rerun of 'The Notebook,' she stopped and let it play while they ate. If anything could give them the emotional catharsis of losing and then finding love again, this movie would be it.

When they finished eating, Beth cleaned up their plates as Jane just stared blankly out their living room window into the night.

"I have to go into work tomorrow morning, but I already told dad you wouldn't be in, ok?"

Jane just blinked and nodded to acknowledge her. She got up and came over to Beth, giving her a hug.

"Thanks for everything, B. I love you. I'll be ok."

"I know. I love you too."

"Ok, good night. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

They each went and got ready for bed, not needing to say anything more about their heartbreak. They knew intrinsically what each other was going through and knew that they both just needed time alone to recover. Beth tried not to think about how Jane didn't know the full story of what transpired between her and Darcy. It hurt so much to keep it all in but she couldn't bear to burden her sister with it now.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

"Good morning, Beth!" Phil said cheerily as he peeked his head into her office. "Did you have a good weekend? I heard Mrs. DeBourgh and her daughter attended the charity ball; I take it the trial period is going well!"

For as kind and caring as he was, Phil wasn't that observant. Otherwise, just seeing her face would have been a clear indication of how the weekend had gone; thankfully, he was oblivious. Beth choose to not even answer about the weekend in general, focusing her response around work.

"Hey! Yes, they did so I think everything is going really well. We should need to start prepping for their summer event so I'm expecting to hear from Mrs. DeBourgh today to see what she wants me to do."

"Wonderful! Well let me know if you need anything."

As her door shut behind him, Beth sighed and took another sip of her Venti coffee that she had definitely needed this morning. After a restless night, she woke up before her alarm and decided to go for a quick run. When she got back, Jane was still sleeping, so she left her a note and texted Char asking if she could check in on her later today. Arriving at the office an hour early, she organized her schedule for the day and then proceeded to email Mrs. DeBourgh, thanking her for attending the party and asking what her next steps would be for the summer diamond event.

Her phone buzzed with another text from her mom. _Ugh._

 _"_ _Have you heard from Jane? What's going on?"_

 _"_ _No. She's probably still sleeping. Let her rest."_

Beth switched that conversation to 'Do Not Disturb,' trying to keep her mind focused on the tasks at hand. She had hoped Jane would have called her by now but maybe she was really still sleeping. Either that or she was just trying to avoid rehashing such a painful situation with their mom again.

Refreshing her mail application downloaded a response from Mrs. DeBourgh.

 _Miss Bennet,_

 _Yes, everything went according to plan. It was very astute of you to invite us._

 _The White Party is quickly approaching in two weeks. I will need you at our house in the Hamptons from this weekend through the date of the event to make sure everything goes smoothly. Since you seem to enjoy planning events, you can also work with our coordinator to finalize all the details._

 _I will expect you to be here by Saturday so I can give you a walk through of the venue. There is a guest house on the property that you will use during the duration of your stay. I'll have my assistant send along directions to the house._

 _Mrs. DeBourgh_

 _Typical._ Always assuming and demanding, but that was pretty consistent with high profile clients. She just wanted this event to be over and done with so that she could go back to working remotely with someone who was obviously so close to Darcy. The thought of his name sent a sharp pain shooting through her chest. _Focus._

 _Mrs. DeBourgh,_

 _I will be there Saturday. I will likely bring an assistant or two with me but they can stay with me in the guest house. Please let me know if you need anything before then._

 _Beth Bennet_

As soon as she sent the email, she called Char.

"Hello."

"Hey, have you talked to Jane?"

"Yeah, I'm actually at your apartment now, I had the morning off. We are hanging out. I might have woken her up though haha."

"Oh good. How is she?"

"Ok. She's making us some tea." Beth breathed a sigh of relief that Jane was at least up and about doing her semi-normal routine, even though she hadn't gone to work.

"Are you busy this weekend?"

"Well, I mean not really—" Char started to respond before she was cut off.

"Ok, good. You and Jane are coming with me to the Hamptons. I have to go to prep for the DeBourgh event, so Mrs. DeBourgh said that I'll be staying in a guest house on their estate. I told her I was bringing assistants so pack your bags, we all could use a weekend away."

"Oooo, the Hamptons! Fancy. Ok, I'll tell Jane."

"We can leave Friday morning, but don't tell her that; just tell her to pack. I'm going to call my dad and tell him that Jane won't be in on Friday; don't make her worry about it."

"Ok, will do." _"Jane! Beth is taking us to the Hamptons this weekend, get excited!"_ Beth yanked the phone away from her ear as Char yelled into the kitchen to her sister.

"Ouch! Haha, ok thanks! I'll talk to you later. Thanks for checking on her." Beth hung up, actually looking forward to a weekend with her sister and her friend - something they hadn't done in a long time.

Taking a deep breath, she dialed her dad's cell phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey, dad."

"Hey, how's everything going? How's Jane holding up?"

"As good as can be expected, I guess," she responded, "That's actually why I'm calling you. I honestly think it would be better for Jane to have the whole week off and away from everything."

"Of course, sweetheart; whatever you think is best for her. I can only imagine how she feels."

"Yeah, the problem is I doubt I can convince her to stay out of the office for the rest of the week; she'll show up regardless of what you or I say."

"Well, you have a point there. Maybe it will be good for her to do a little work, to take her mind off of everything?" He suggested.

"Maybe. I have to go to the Hamptons for work this weekend and I wanted to bring Char and Jane with me - to get her out of the city and just have a girl's weekend. I was wondering if you think you could convincingly tell Jane that you don't need her to come in on Friday? She won't take off of work if I just ask her to."

"Oh, sure. That's not a problem. Bill wanted to meet with me anyway, so maybe I'll schedule that for Friday. Then she'll see a legitimate reason for what I'm saying."

"Great, I think it will be good for her." Unable to stop herself, she continued, "Have you heard anything from him?"

"Not anything that I didn't already know. I tried to call him immediately after I spoke to Mr. Darcy. I obviously wanted to verify what Darcy had just told me, but the call went right to voicemail. Early this morning, though, he emailed me basically stating what Mr. Darcy had said on the phone. I wish I knew more," he said regretfully.

"What did Mr. Darcy say to you?" _Why did she continue to punish herself._

"I thought your mother would have told you. He said that Charles had to regretfully put the deal on hold to return to Boston indefinitely. I tried to ask more questions, not just for Jane's sake but for the firm, but you know how intimidating he is, he brushed them off with vague answers and then said that someone would be in touch."

"Oh." _Mr. Intolerable was definitely the reigning king of avoiding answers._

"You know, I was in shock at what he was saying. It barely had time to sink in before the conversation was over but I didn't want to press or pry and somehow make the situation worse." The guilt in her father's voice was palpable. It seemed like everyone blamed themselves a little for the situation that Jane was in.

"It's ok. I'm sure you did the right thing. Jane will be ok, she's strong." Beth tried to reassure him, if only she could say the same thing about herself.

"Are you ok though, Beth?"

 _This is why she hesitated on calling him; he knew her too well._ The realization hit that he was the first person who had asked her if she was ok; everyone else had jumped to Jane. She didn't blame them, Jane was the obvious victim. No one knew about her and Darcy. She felt her eyes starting to tear up and her throat constricting. _Stop, you can do this._

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" She managed to get out with only a little shakiness to her voice.

"You just seemed upset and distracted the other night; I just wondered if it had anything to do with Mr. Darcy."

 _Damn, the man was perceptive._ "Nope, just a lot going on." She wiped away the tears that had collected in her eyes. "Listen, I have to get back to work, thanks for asking and thanks for helping me with Jane. I'll talk to you later. Love you."

"Ok, love you too."

Before she had the chance to think about anything other than work, Beth set her phone down on her desk and decided to go tell Phil, in person, her next steps with the DeBourgh account. She walked out of the office and left all thoughts of Darcy's betrayal behind her.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

The rest of the week leading to Friday passed by quickly, relief setting in on Wednesday when Beth got her period. At least she didn't have to add _that_ complication into this mess. She kept busy with work but forced herself to leave on time so that she could get home to Jane. Tuesday night, she was stuck on a call with a client until after five and when she got home, she found Jane just sitting on the couch crying; she consoled her and tried to take her mind off of Charles by talking about their weekend plans, but it took almost forty-five minutes for Jane to come around. Beth decided then that she didn't want her sister to be alone for too long right now; she was just too emotional. After that night she made sure she got home before Jane. She was equally sure that Jane took extra care to hide her tears, even though Beth could still hear the occasional sob from her room as she was falling asleep.

When Friday morning rolled around, they both seemed to be in better spirits at the thought of getting out of the city for the weekend. Char picked them up and Beth navigated them to the DeBourgh mansion in Bridgehampton, using the directions that Mrs. DeBourgh's assistant had sent her.

They didn't talk of Charles or Darcy the whole time, even though it seemed like a giant elephant in the car with them. Thankfully, Char subtly distracted them with entertaining stories of her more recent embarrassing blind dates that her mom had set her up. That had led Beth and Jane to open up an entertaining discussion about Bill.

"I still can't believe you're dating Bill Collins," Beth said to her friend as she finished laughing about Char's last story.

"Yeah, yeah. Tell me about it."

"Did I ever tell you guys about the one time he came into the office wearing two different colored shoes?" Jane started to giggle. "His assistant, Donna, asked him if he realized that they were two different colors and he proceeded to tell her that she was colorblind because they were the same color. They must have gone back and forth for fifteen minutes about the shoes, and you know how Bill gets when he's frustrated, all red and flustered." Jane was having a hard time continuing because she had started to laugh so hard. "Meanwhile, I hear all this because it was going on in Donna's office, which is right across from mine. So I get up to leave because dad and Bill actually had a meeting; they see me and follow me quietly up to dad's office." By this point she had tears rolling down her cheeks. "We go into dad's room and dad looks a Bill and goes, 'Bill, why are you wearing two different colored shoes?' And then Donna looses it and spits her mouthful of coffee out all over the back of Bill's shirt."

Now, all the girls were laughing hysterically, if for no other reason than that Jane had struggled so much to get the rest of the story out between her laughs. It was the first time since her breakup that she seemed truly happy.

"I thought he was going to fire Donna on the spot."

"Did he?" Beth asked as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

"No, oh my gosh. I really thought he was going to but Donna is great so now they just laugh about it. Well, mostly Donna still laughs about it whenever Bill says something that she knows isn't right."

"Well, Char, once you're married, you'll have to make sure that he leaves the house with the right shoes on!"

"Oh man, guys. That is great. I'm totally going to bring that up when I see him on Sunday."

"Oh ok, so Char we need to make the next left onto Scuttle Hole Road and then the house should be on the left."

As they turned into the private drive, everyone grew quiet, taking in the vastness of the estate. There was a pond idyllically set off to the left immediately after entering the property. Continuing down the drive, there was a lane on the left that lead to a moderately sized house as they started to pass part of the private golf course on the right. They passed an even larger lake on the left as the drive turned toward the main house.

"Holy shit," Char exclaimed as they got their first full view of the main house. "How big is that house?! Jane, zillow it!"

Jane used the Zillow app on her phone to find the details about the house. "It's twenty thousand square feet. And the property is over sixty acres."

"Oh my God." Char trailed off as they pulled in front of the house and parked.

Mrs. DeBourgh's assistant, Victor, had told her to come to the main house when she arrived so she could be given keys to the guest cottage. Beth was in awe of the house as she stepped out of the car. To think that this was just a normal house for some sent shivers down her spine. She could just imagine what Darcy's houses looked like. _Stop it. Why did her brain have to go there?_

Before she made it away from the car, the front door to the house opened and a younger man in a tight-fitting suit came power walking over to them. He had sleek, narrow glasses on and his hair looked like it had been slicked to the side with about three times more hair gel than necessary.

"Hello, may I have you name please?" he addressed Beth abruptly.

"Yes, I'm Beth Bennet with the Gardiner Group. I'm the publicist and will be staying for the whole week. I was told to come to the main house to get the key to the guest cottage…"

"Yes, yes. I know," he responded smartly. "I'm Victor; I emailed you the details about your stay. Mrs. DeBourgh and her daughter haven't arrived yet, however, here is the key for the guest cottage. You may go and settle in. Mrs. DeBourgh would like to see you and your associates for dinner. It will be served promptly at six. If you have any questions, you can dial star-three-eight on the cottage phone and it will connect you to me or one of my assistants." He finished marking something on the clipboard he was holding and handed her a manila envelope containing the house key. "Any questions?"

"Uhh, no, just how do we get to the cottage?"

With a huff and an eye roll he responded, "It was the first lane off to your left when you entered the property."

" _That_ is a cottage?" Beth stared at him incredulously since that building had to be at least four thousand square feet.

" _Yes._ Please remember dinner is at six. There is a golf cart parked outside the cottage for your use or you are welcome to walk up to the house." With that, his mouth thinned and he gave her a slight nod before turning and walking back into the house.

"Well, he sure is a character," Char laughed from the driver's seat. "It's only two-fifteen. Let's unpack and then go explore!"

Beth got back into the car and they proceeded back down the drive until they got to the lane for the cottage. _Cottage, my ass._ The guest house had two stories, columned porches and a patio. Inside the house were three separate bedrooms, each with their own bath, a living room, dining room, and fully stocked kitchen. After unpacking, Jane assessed what options were in the fridge for lunch on-the-go. She found some prepackaged deli meat and cheese and made them all sandwiches to take with them on their exploration of the property.

In the envelope with the key was a map of the property that they looked at and decided to try to eat lunch in the Orangerie and then explore the rose gardens. Hopping into the golf cart conveniently parked outside for their use, they drove off back towards the main house.

Pulling up to the front of the house they saw a few large, black SUVs parked out front. Beth cringed, hoping they wouldn't run into Mrs. DeBourgh or her daughter before they had to at dinner. Leaving the cart off to the side of the cars, they followed the path to the left of the house which led them through landscaped formal gardens to the Orangerie. Inside the window covered building was a dining table along with a sitting area. In awe of their surroundings, they sat at the table to eat lunch in awed silence, taking in the picturesque landscape visible through the windows.

When they had finished, Char began asking Jane a bunch of questions about Bill since she saw him almost every day at the firm. Beth could tell that she was excited about her new boyfriend and she was also grateful that Char's line of questioning would keep Charles in the background of her thoughts for a little while longer.

Beth had wandered out into the rose garden, rambling along the stone paths, under the arches trellises examining each type of rose bloom as she went. She stopped to take in their scents and smells, enjoying the fresh air and sunshine. She was happy that Char was finally able to see her future with someone, but at the same time it made her heart ache, thinking about a future that she no longer had with Darcy. _Who was she kidding, she probably never had a future with him in the first place._ She was not his type - always arguing with him and making him mad. And she definitely didn't look like a model, like Anne DeBourgh did. How he was even attracted to her after being with someone like Anne was beyond her. Not that she wasn't attractive, it was just that her and Anne were so different and she couldn't help but compare herself to the other woman.

 _He can like more than one type of woman._

True, except he doesn't act like he likes you, except for physically.

 _No, that night he was different._

Maybe a little, but it was just that night.

 _So?_

So. He is kind and caring and concerned all the time around Anne.

 _Ugh. Go away._

She shook her head, trying to physically dislodge the argument going on back and forth in her mind, instead trying to focus on the beauty surrounding her. The grounds of the house were truly incredible; Beth felt like she was in a botanical garden or one of those grand British estates where people had nothing more to do except stroll through their endless acres of gardens. Everything was so peacefully idyllic she almost felt like she was walking through a dream.

Turning down a new path, her eyes darted open when she saw someone standing at the end of the walk not ten steps in front of her. He was leaning on one of the decorative wooden gates that signaled an entrance into the rose garden and was facing away from her, in what seemed like deep thought. Her mind recognized him a split second later as her feet skidded to a halt. Only one man could stand so erect with rigid pride. _Darcy._


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Hearing her footsteps startled him from his reverie as he quickly turned around to face her. The shock registering on his face revealed that he too had not expected to meet her here of all places.

Her mouth went dry. Wearing well-fitting ripped jeans and a white button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up and the collar unbuttoned, he didn't appear as put together as usual, but he was still the most gorgeous man she'd ever laid eyes on. She blinked twice, unsure if he was actually standing there or if she was just imaging him. When his delicious mouth thinned and he ran his hand through his dark, tousled hair, she knew she couldn't even imagine something that good.

 _Do something_ \- her mind interjected. She should go off on him, berate him, for what he did to Jane and her, but she was frozen. Her angry words disintegrated into dust in her mouth and all she could think was how much she wanted to be in his arms. Judging from how quickly his expression changed from shock to desire, he felt the same way. He took a step towards her and then stopped, his questioning gaze boring into her knowing that she probably hated him right now.

He was her guilty pleasure; he was that one thing that you know isn't good for you, that has hurt you, that has made you question yourself, that has made others question you, but that is just so addictively good that being around him obscures the reality of all the hurtful things he has done and could do; and it was a blur, Jane's situation was but a distant shadow in her mind and how he had treated her faded into the intense desire to prove to herself that he was attracted her, that he did want her near him, that she hadn't been wrong this whole time.

 _She couldn't resist him._ She licked her lips and took a small, tentative step toward him, grabbing ahold of the nearest archway, her legs suddenly feeling weak.

That small invitation was all he needed. In three steps, his arms were around her and his mouth crashed down on hers, immediately awakening every cell in her body. Her arms twined around his neck as her mouth opened to his invading tongue. They kissed out of deprivation, with desperation, and the need to control one another. She clung to him as his hands roamed over her body, staking claim to everything he touched.

She gasped as his hand found its way underneath her loose-fitting denim shirt to massage her breast through her lace bra. His teeth took advantage and grabbed her lower lip, biting and sucking it into his mouth as his thumb brushed over he aching nipple. Her head fell back as he nipped and kissed all along the edge of her jaw up to her ear. Taking her earlobe in his mouth, he gently suckled it while his hand pulled down her bra strap and cup so that he could torment her naked flesh. His other arm wrapped tightly around her hips pressing them tightly against his, the hard ridge of his arousal pushing into her stomach. She moaned his name, her whole body hot and heavy with desire. She didn't care where they were or who would see; she wanted him to take her now.

In the distance, from the other end of the garden, she heard Char yelling her name. _Not now, please, not now._ He pulled away slightly, rearranging her bra underneath her shirt, and she immediately felt the loss. The protective cocoon of their attraction had been breached and she felt the hurt and worries of reality begin to creep back into her mind.

"God, I need you. I can't control myself when I'm around you," he whispered in her ear before pulling his face back to look into her eyes, "But we can't, not like this. I need to talk to you." She could see his internal anguish reflecting in his eyes. Her brows furrowed as his hand came up to cup her face, his thumb rubbing slowly over her swollen lower lip.

" _Beth! Where are you?"_ Her friend was getting closer.

Darcy's eyes closed in frustrated restraint as he forcefully exhaled. "But not now. I have to go." Pulling her face to his, he crushed his lips to hers and then in the next moment he was gone, walking out of the garden back towards the main house.

Beth stood, frozen, for several moments just breathing and taking in what had just happened. _What was he doing here? What just happened?_ She heard footsteps approaching and quickly wiped her lips and checked her shirt making sure everything was back in its place.

"Hey! There you are! I've been calling you." Beth turned just as Char caught up to her.

"Sorry, I didn't hear you; I was distracted," Beth stammered.

"Oh. Are you feeling ok? You seem flushed, what happened?" Char knew something had happened, she could tell from the way she was looking at her and then darting her eyes around the garden to see if anyone else was nearby.

"Darcy was here," Beth confessed, needing to let something out and not wanting Char to interrogate her in front of Jane. _Jane can't know._

"WHAT?! What did he want? Did you punch him? What did he say?" Char asked her incredulously.

"Ugh, no. I just.. I don't know. Nothing happened." Beth was rambling nonsense because seeing Darcy had just put her brain into a tailspin. "He was here… and then we were kissing. I don't know why. Why didn't I say something? I'm so confused." Even though she wanted to form some sort of coherent thought for Char, she was still recovering from the shock of seeing Darcy, and then kissing him; there were so many emotions flooding her mind that she felt like crying and she wasn't sure why. Through the hurricane of feelings pulling her in every direction, she registered more footsteps heading their way.

"Don't say anything to Jane. She can't know he is here," she quickly cautioned Char, ignoring her question-laden stare and slapping a smile on her face just as Jane rounded the corner on them.

"There you guys are! Wow, this place is incredible," Jane said, looking around, distracted by the flowers surrounding her. "Should we head back to the house and get ready for dinner?" she asked, seemingly oblivious to the tension between Beth and Char and the distress that Beth was trying very hard to mask.

"Yeah, we should," Char said, sparing her from giving what would have been a stuttered and emotion filled answer. Char looped arms with Jane and turned them towards the exit of the garden before Jane could pick up on Beth's discomfort.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

The inside of the main house was more impressive than the outside, if that was even possible. They had pulled up right around five forty-five and Victor had escorted them inside. He proceeded to give them a brief tour of the main floor, starting with the oval great room that was directly in front of the entryway; the room had a domed ceiling with large windows and windowed French doors that lead out to the back patio and the vast back lawn. Four couches and several chairs were all precisely placed to accentuate the vastness of the room.

"This is where the reception for the White Party will take place. Obviously most of the furniture will be moved along the walls or elsewhere. There will be an indoor bar and the seating card table in the center," Victor informed them decidedly.

Next he took them into the formal living room, its marble fireplace the centerpiece of the space. Similar to the oval room, there were numerous large window and French doors that led out onto the patio or into the gardens.

Why two people needed all this space was a whole separate issue.

The moved back into the oval room where Mrs. DeBourgh and Anne were waiting for them.

"There you are Victor, we were just about to go in. Beth, _dear,_ good to see you."

"Mrs. DeBourgh," Beth addressed their hostess, "This is my sister Jane, if you remember, and Char Lucas."

"Yes, good to see you." She acknowledge the two girls. "This is my daughter, Anne," motioning to the tall blonde who still hadn't made eye contact with Beth.

The formal dining room was just as ostentatious as the rest of the house. Beth was seated next to Char at the table, across from Anne, with Mrs. DeBourgh and Victor at the heads. After a polite conversation about their trip up, and how they were finding the property and accommodations, Mrs. DeBourgh moved on to business.

"Miss Bennet, I want you working closely with Anne and Victor for the party preparation and execution," she began. _Great, she had to work 'closely' with Darcy's ex._ "You and Anne will decide on most of the conceptual ideas, the best way to organize the event for maximum publicity, and then Victor will sort out the logistics. Anything that you need, ask him directly." Her tone was matter-of-fact, leaving Beth no room to suggest an alternative.

"Yes, Beth if I could talk to you after dinner we can go over a few preliminaries and arrange a meeting tomorrow to go through the layout of the event space." Beth was shocked that Anne had addressed her directly, but the look she gave her made it clear that she was intent on speaking with her.

"Of course," she responded tightly. The last thing she wanted was to hear another message from Darcy relayed to her through Anne, especially now after they'd slept together.

"So Jane, your mother tells me that you are going to be engaged soon. I hope I'm not too early in offering my congratulations." Whether Mrs. DeBourgh knew what had happened or not didn't matter, the question immediately put Jane into shock, her face turning a deathly white as she struggled to find a polite answer to the question.

"Well nothing is set in stone yet, but Mr. Bingley would be a fool to pass up such an amazing woman as Jane," Beth interjected with a smile and a nod to her sister before it became obvious to Mrs. DeBourgh that there was something wrong.

"Ah, yes. Men are often fools, that is for sure. Just look at Anne and how long it's taking for a certain someone to propose." She looked at Anne with an arched eyebrow, waiting for her daughter to confirm her statement. When Anne gave an almost imperceptible nod, she continued, "Yes, well, I expect that both of you will be happily married before the end of summer. Speaking of which, Anne, has Darcy arrived yet?" With a self-satisfied smile, she looked again to her daughter. Anne clearly felt awkward every time her mother brought up Darcy, but she couldn't understand why; maybe, like Jane, she was just embarrassed because they weren't technically engaged.

"I'm not sure. I haven't heard from him," Anne responded with a glance at Beth. _Interesting._ Darcy was definitely here, which meant he either kept himself from seeing Anne - not quite a typical move if someone is going to be your fiancée, or she knew he was here and she was purposely hiding it from her mother.

Beth didn't know why Mrs. DeBourgh kept insisting on flaunting her daughter's relationship or potential engagement with Darcy in front of them. It's not like she could know about what happened between them, could she? _No, it wasn't possible._ She probably wouldn't have a job if Mrs. DeBourgh knew that but it did make her wonder if Darcy had said something to Anne.

Char changed the subject back to the house and ground, her questions answered mostly by Victor and Anne.

After dinner, Anne followed through with her request to speak with Beth alone while Victor conveniently offered to take Char and Jane on a tour of the rest of the house. She followed her through the living room off to a small, private library attached to it. Anne shut the door behind them and turned hesitantly to face her.

"Thanks for meeting with me." _Not like she had much of a choice._ "I don't actually want to talk to you about the event. I wanted to meet with you to apologize for the other night," the words came out in a rush and she looked relieved to have finally gotten them off of her chest, "I just needed an excuse that my mother wouldn't be interested in."

"Oh." _Well that's not what she expected._ Beth didn't know how to respond at that moment, she was still processing the direction that this conversation was about to go; she really thought that Anne asked her in here to tell her to leave Darcy alone, or something along those lines, but definitely not to apologize to her - or to do it in secret from her mom.

 _"_ It was presumptuous of me to approach you like I did and expect you just to believe me. I'm sure you know that it was Mr. Darcy who asked me to do it, and knowing even only the small bits of information that I do about his past with George Wickham, I agreed that you should be warned; however, I shouldn't have let him convince me that I should be the one to do it," Anne pressed forward, her explanation confirming most of what Beth knew already.

"It's ok. I know how umm…overbearing… Mr. Darcy can be when he wants something done," Beth began hesitantly, trying not to criticize Darcy too much; she was still a little wary of where the conversation was going and if it was about something more than their bathroom altercation.

"He can be a bully; you don't have to be nice about it, I won't tell," Anne laughed as her comment made Beth crack a smile.

"So what did George do that was so terrible that Darcy felt that you had to warn me right away?" Beth asked, needed to understand what happened between the two men.

"Umm…" Anne hesitated, looking down as as her face began to color, "Like I said I don't know very much about what happened but I don't think I should be the one to tell you. I'm sorry. If there weren't other people involved, I would consider it, but Darcy is my good friend and I can't break his trust when he should be the one to tell you."

She did look truly apologetic for not being able to say, even though it put an annoyed scowl back on Beth's face that she was still being kept in the dark. _Fine._ If Anne wouldn't tell her about that incident, maybe she would clarify what exactly was her relationship with Darcy.

"Ok, I can respect that. How, though, can you say that Darcy is your 'good friend,' when your mother is practically taking out advertisements in the paper for your engagement?"

Now Anne's face turned beet red, "Ah, well, I can explain that, but I need you to promise not to say anything to my mom." The sincerity of her plea was visible in her eyes; whatever she was going to tell Beth would really upset Mrs. DeBourgh.

"Ok," Beth gave her a slight nod in agreement.

"William Darcy and I are good friends," she laughed a little to herself and smiled, "It's funny to actually say that out loud. I feel like I've been lying about it for so long, it's good to actually tell someone the truth."

She waited as Anne seemed to think about what to say next.

"We dated a long time ago, that's true. I should probably clarify that we only started dating because of our families' close relationship that had imposed on us for a long time that we would eventually end up married to one another. However, once we started dating we learned quickly that not only were we not really attracted to each other that way, but we didn't do well as a couple; we were much better at just being friends." Anne paused to take a seat in one of the high-back leather chairs by the fireplace.

"The breakup was traumatic, as I'm sure you've read about. Not that it wasn't for the best, it's just that Darcy has always been good at being independent and forging his own way. I, on the other hand, for various personal reasons have and still continue to live under my mother's rule; so, when we split, she was irate and blamed the entire thing on me. Even though I didn't want to date Darcy, I didn't want to suffer her disappointment either. Anyway, long story short, over the years we grew back into our old friendship, and since Darcy didn't want to be bothered with a serious relationship, he would never correct anyone who assumed that we might still be together and I, likewise to avoid my mother's wrath, continued to allow her to believe that we are together." Here, Anne moved her gaze from her clasped hands that were resting in her lap, up to meet Beth's wide-eyed stare, "But I can assure you that we are not, nor will we ever be, engaged."

Beth looked at her for a moment letting the information sink it. Her story made sense. Knowing first hand how Mrs. DeBourgh had treated Beth to get what she wanted, and how she had threatened her if she didn't, she felt sorry for the woman sitting in front of her, trapped by her own mother.

"Don't get me wrong, I love my mom but she can be harsh when things don't go her way," Anne added quickly.

"So why do you let her continue to believe that you and Darcy are going to be engaged soon if that's not going to happen?" Beth didn't understand why she just didn't tell her mom that they were never getting married and let her get over the relationship once and for all.

"Because of you," was her response.

"What? I don't understand."

"We were going to tell her; Darcy wanted to be there with me to give me support incase she freaked out, but then at your family's ball she was watching Darcy closely, and Darcy was watching you closely," she sighed.

"Ok…" Beth said, still not understanding the problem.

"If I tell her now, she will blame our 'break-up' on you and she will be out for blood. I'm sure she's already threatened you in some form or another since you began working with her; I know she was looking for information on Darcy and I assume you gave it to her, which is why we ended up at your ball in the first place."

"She is exceptionally persuasive," Beth agreed, not admitting specifically to spying on Darcy for her. She didn't want to think about what would happen if Darcy ever found that out.

"He's trying to protect you from her and her revenge. She's believed my whole life that I would marry William Darcy; I don't know what she would do to the person that she thinks stole that from her. It's partially our fault for letting this ruse continue for so long, but then I guess Darcy never thought he would want something different. Anyway, so to protect you and I guess in some ways to protect me, he's trying to figure out he can take the blame for ending our relationship because he's the only one she would be too scared to go after," Anne looked at her with sadness in her eyes. "We made our bed and now we are being forced to sleep in it," she lamented, "I'm just sorry that you had to be dragged into the middle."

"I see," Beth said slowly, "So you're really not engaged to him?" Out of everything that was the only fact that her mind, or was it her heart, was clinging to.

"No," Anne gave her a large 'I want you both to be happy' smile, "We definitely are not."

"Ok, I'm sorry. It's just a lot to take in. I mean, I had some inklings about your mother's character and what she wanted to accomplish, but I just never realized the extent. Im sorry," the pity she felt for Anne really starting to seep into her response.

Anne brushed her off, "Please, I'm used to and prepared for it. I've lived with her for 30 years now, I know what I'm in for." It still clearly upset her but she was putting on a brave face and changed the subject, "So, have you seen him? Or talked to him?"

"Ahh.. briefly, since that night… but we haven't talked much. Some things have happened with my family since then that he might be responsible for and I just don't know what to make of it all right now. Especially with everything you just said, it's a lot to process."

Anne shook her head. "He's so stubborn. I keep telling him… well, never mind. He's a good man, though, in spite of how he comes across." Her praise came across as more of a plea to believe her, than an actual compliment.

"We should go before someone comes looking for us. I just had to apologize in private before we had to work together all this week with only my mom's misinformed assertions to guide you."

As Anne stood up, Beth felt herself walking over to the other woman and giving her a hug. "Thank you." She didn't know what else to say, feeling overwhelmed with her emotions. All she could think as they left the room was that Darcy wasn't dating anyone; he didn't want Anne; _He wanted her._


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

She hadn't seen him again the entire week. _What the hell_. At first, she had told herself that it was because Char and Jane were with her basically all the time and that's why he had kept his distance. However, when they left Sunday night, she had expected him to show up on her doorstep Monday morning but he never came. The rest of the week followed in the same pattern; she woke up every day hoping to see him, knowing that he had said that they needed to talk, but no actual attempt by him to do so.

She'd kept very busy during the days though, working with Anne to solidify the plans for the event, then working with the vendors as they began to arrive later in the week to start setting up. She was also put in charge of photographing the pieces and individual gems that were going to be auctioned off throughout the night which she then sent notices out to the major new outlets in the city as well as posting all the social media marketing herself. Aside from the celebrities who would attend, the gems being auctioned off for charity were the next biggest attraction.

In previous years, the DeBourghs had selected a charity on their own for the money to be given to. Beth had suggested to Anne to allow the auction winners to not only receive the piece that they bid on, but to also request a preferred charity that they would like the proceeds to go to; that way Mrs. DeBourgh could still reject the choice but the donors might feel willing to bid more knowing that it could go to a non-profit of their choosing. Anne had loved the idea and conveyed it to her mom, who begrudgingly approved. As much as she didn't want to give Beth the satisfaction of approving her idea, it was too good of a change to pass up, especially if it incentivized people to bid more money, and Beth wasted no time making sure the appropriate outlets were notified that the DeBourgh White Party, already well known for the sizable contribution it would make to charity, would be letting the participants select their own preference for the donation; the press was thrilled. In the days leading up to the event, Mrs. DeBourgh had almost double the amount of interviews and requests for journalists to attend as they usually had. Not only that, but Anne told her the following day that some of the guests who planned on attending and donating money but not bidding on items, had gotten in touch with her to change their status to a participating bidder now that they knew their donation would reflect their personal interests.

The minor changes in the auction proceedings were settled by Wednesday and on Thursday Beth transitioned to working more alongside Victor as the vendors and decorations began to arrive and the space was beginning to be prepared. Aside from having to deal with Victor's snobbiness, everything had gone pretty smoothly on that end.

Even though she would say now that her and Anne were on good terms, they hadn't really discussed Darcy again. Beth had managed to ask her on Wednesday if he was still staying on the property, but Anne replied that she wasn't really sure since he stayed in the guest suite in the club house, which was out by the nineteenth hole so he could come and go without anyone seeing him. As far as she knew, he was staying there until after the party but she wasn't sure.

After their private discussion, Beth realized that she hadn't asked Anne anything about Charles and if Darcy was the reason that he had left Jane and broken her heart. She felt guilty and angry at herself for not thinking to bring it up the moment Anne had opened up about Darcy and she was determined to speak with Anne alone again so she could find out. After having the night to think about it though, she didn't know if she should bring Anne farther into this whole mess. Even though she felt like she could trust her, she wasn't sure how much Darcy had told her about what had happened between the two of them and she didn't want to have to suggest to his ex-girlfriend that she thought Darcy ruined her sister's chance at happiness because he was scared of his attraction to her. Plus, even though her and Darcy were close, Beth had a feeling that Darcy wouldn't be discussing Charles' romantic life with her. Anne's personality, too, suggested that she would have said something about Charles and Jane if she knew anything that might help or shed some light. So, Beth worked side by side with Anne and kept her thoughts to herself, waiting for Darcy to show up and make good on his word.

Beth was grateful when it was finally Saturday, the day of the White Party, for many reasons; she was tired of being on the DeBourgh estate, for one. Not that that house wasn't comfortable or the whole estate wasn't breathtaking but, aside from Anne, everyone was just about as snobby as its owner. Throughout the week, she had noticed that Mrs. DeBourgh seemed to keep a very close eye on her and ask her very personal questions, something that she would have just brushed off if Anne hadn't revealed that her mother had noticed Darcy's preoccupation with her. It was clearly Mrs. DeBourgh viewed her as a threat and wanted to keep her as close as possible so she could keep an eye on her. Besides all of that, and even more importantly, she knew for a fact, that was confirmed by Anne yesterday, that Darcy would be attending the party and she was tired of waiting for the answers that she was owed. She'd run through the typical cycle of emotions that he elicited from her: hope, that gave way to disappointment when he invariably didn't follow through, which gave way to anger and frustration that she ultimately bottled up, determined to handle it on her own.

No, this time she would be prepared. She replayed exactly what she wanted to say to him over and over again as she sat in front of the mirror doing her makeup.

 _What gives you the right to rip two people apart who clearly are in love with one another? You can just go around controlling other peoples' lives to serve whatever purpose you need; they are people who need to make their own choices. What did Jane ever do to you or Charles that called for this?_

Just thinking about it had her face flushed and her jaw clenched. She stood up and went downstairs to grab a water from the fridge before putting her dress on.

 _And that doesn't even begin to cover how you could treat me the way that you do? After everything that you've done, I stayed; I stayed and I gave you a piece of me, let you control a part of me that no one ever has, and how do you respond? You leave. Again._

She felt the tears threatening to fall, remembering how vulnerable she had been, how crushed she had felt knowing that he had left, and then having to keep that all inside so she could be there for Jane. _God._ She felt like punching something. Or skipping the party and crying all night, but that wouldn't get her in front of the man she needed to give a piece of her mind to.

She slipped her white gown over her head and fastened the gold clasp at the back of her neck. It was a simple halter sheath with a v-neck and a low-cut, cowl back. She'd bought the dress years ago for an event but then didn't end up wearing it; she wasn't a big fan of how she looked in white, but since this was a white party what better opportunity to dust it off and put it to good use.

Staring at herself in the mirror she looked elegant and pristine, the complete opposite of how she felt. Inside she felt fragile and used - all the broken pieces of her precariously held together by a glass shell that could shatter at any moment. That's what she saw in the mirror, the chaos contained in the cooly composed exterior. She threw her hair up in a simple French twist and waiting for Anne to arrive with the golf cart to pick her up.

Anne arrived looking like a moon goddess. The tall blonde was wearing a very modest, loose white gown; the sleeves came all the way to her wrists and the high neckline touching her neck. The material was thin and even sheer in some areas, giving her an ethereal quality that, if she hadn't reassured Beth herself that there was nothing between her and Darcy, Beth would have been concerned.

"Beth! You look great!" Anne greeted her with a hug.

"Thanks, but I feel like I'm a mess. You look amazing though," Beth responded self-consciously.

Anne gave her a sympathetic stare, "It's all going to be ok. Everything it looking great up at the house. You and Victor did an amazing job!"

"Have any of the guests arrived yet?" Beth asked even though she was only concerned with one guest in particular.

"No, Darcy isn't here yet," Anne responded knowingly, "But we should get going because people should be starting to arrive soon and I know the photographer wants to get a couple photos in front of the house before it's overwhelmed with people."

The mansion was really a sight as you came up the main drive. A white carpet-way led from where cars would pull up to the opened front door. The doorway was decorated with vibrant green foliage interspersed with white roses, hydrangeas, and lilies that rose up the sides of the doorway; small twinkle lights were embedded in the flowers giving the entrance a glittering appearance. There were already about 15 reporters, photographers, etc. lining either side of the walk-way chatting amongst themselves, waiting for the guests to arrive.

Anne parked the cart off to the side of the roundabout. Before the press got the wrong idea about who she was, she introduced herself to them and began to check their passes off the list of all the reporters invited. Meanwhile, Anne posed in the doorway for a few photos before ducking inside the house, waiting for Beth to follow.

The great oval room was the first stop for guests upon arrival. The columns at the entryway to the room were covered in ivy and twinkle lights. there was a bar set up immediately to the left inside the room and a center table that had place cards for those participating in the auction. Large white drapes covered the three window panels on either side of the center doorway that led out onto the terrace. From here, guests could make their way outside to stroll through the gardens or sit at one of the tables set up under the tent on the lawn. The auction stand was set up off to the right side on the patio and the band was off to the left. There wasn't really room for dancing until the auction was completed and all of the corresponding furniture and cases could be cleared. An army of waiters stood ready to offer guests a selection of over thirty finger sandwiches, hors d'oeuvres, and desserts.

Mrs. DeBourgh made it downstairs just as the first guests were starting to arrive. Her and Anne stepped outside to greet the guests and pose for photos while Beth remained inside the house, guiding everyone into the oval room and making sure they were taken care of.

Beth felt like the smile plastered on her face would take weeks to wipe off. Celebrities, millionaires, billionaires, they rolled in one after another, but none of it phased her; she was looking for one person only.

After a half an hour had passed, Anne finally came back inside saying that almost all of the guests had arrived.

"How many are left?" Beth asked, her shell about to break.

"He will be here," Anne whispered, making sure her mom was still outside. "He knows this place. He can come and go as he likes but he's on the list as a bidder so he _will_ be here or he's going to have to answer to me!" She joked, giving Beth's shoulder a comforting squeeze, "In the meantime, most of our work is done and I think it's time we have a celebratory drink." Guiding them into the oval room, she grabbed two glasses of white wine from the bar.

The next forty-five minutes felt like the longest of Beth's life. She stayed inside the oval room so she could keep an eye on the door, waiting for Darcy to arrive. Finally, when she heard Victor come over the microphone, asking everyone to take their seats so that the bidding could begin, she picked up Darcy's seat card from the table, threw it in the trash can, and desolately made her way outside.

She sat down off to the side of the front row, the seat next to her saved for Anne, who was up on the patio with her mother, as Mrs. DeBourgh welcomed all the guests and thanked them for participating. She highlighted a few of the more select pieces that they would be offering tonight and then turned the microphone over to the auctioneer.

"And for our first item, a pair of one-carat diamond, teardrop earrings. We will start the bidding at ten thousand dollars, do I hear ten-thousand…" In her head, the auctioneers voice began to trail off and blur as he spoke too fast for her to want to try and focus. She was staring right though him as he went through one piece after another. He moved onto the select, high dollar items; the first of which was a large diamond ring, the center stone was a 3-carat diamond surrounded by a halo of rubies, bidding starting at one million dollars. The bids droned on, driving up the price to almost three million dollars, and Beth continued to stare vacantly at the podium.

"Five million dollars," said a deep, rich voice from right behind her. The noise shattered the haze in her mind, her whole body tingling as the smooth, warm tone of Darcy's voice melted over her. _Don't turn around._ The crowd turned in her direction, agape and whispering amongst themselves as the auctioneer awarded the set to him. Thankfully, she knew they were all looking right through her at him, all but Mrs. DeBourgh, whose eyes had narrowed speculatively. The auctioneer cleared his throat, after momentarily being stunned by the winning sum, and proceeded to the next item, the audience following his lead as the bidding continued.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32 - ***THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS EXPLICIT, MATURE SEXUAL CONTENT. If you are not comfortable with that, please stop reading.***

She didn't know what to do. She was frozen; unwilling to move, or to breathe, afraid she would turn around and find him gone again. She sensed him moving closer to the back of her chair. Then she felt it, the slight touch of his fingertips as they ran up her exposed spine to the edge of the clasp on her dress. Her breath sucked in as her nipples immediately hardened and wetness leaked from her thighs; she'd been on edge for too long, both with anger and desire and she couldn't decide which emotion was winning out in the struggle inside her. His fingers disappeared from her neck as he moved around and sat quietly in Anne's chair next to her.

"Mr. Darcy." His name came out too breathy for her liking and she knew that her face had flushed from the moment she'd heard his voice.

"Miss Bennet," his voice still able to remain cool and collected. A quick glance out of the corner of her eye revealed that he wasn't as calm as he seemed with his hands grasping his thighs, and a not-s0-subtle bulge in his pants, only partially covered by his suit jacket. "We need to talk."

 _Thank you, Captain Obvious._ Beth rolled her eyes at his statement and before she could stop herself, sarcastically spouted, "I've heard that before." Her breath sucked in as her head jerked in his direction, unsure of what reaction her attitude would produce.

His nostrils flared as his jaw muscles flexed, molten chocolate eyes capturing her gaze. "Perhaps punishing your smart mouth is more important to you?" She felt goosebumps all over her body. "I'm certain it would be much more enjoyable for me." Lust sparkled in his eyes, and she knew that he would take her right here in front of all these people if she let him.

"No, ahh.. you're right. We need to talk," her mouth managed to stammer, as her eyes begged him otherwise.

"Later," was his curt reply, just as she could see the hard mask descend on his face, just as she heard Mrs. DeBourgh from beside her.

"William! So good to finally see you," she said enthusiastically, trying to keep her voice low as the auction was coming to a close. "I was hoping we would have had the pleasure of your company throughout this past week, but Anne said you were no where to be found." Even though it wasn't a question, the look she gave him indicated that she was expecting an explanation.

"Ah, yes. Well, unfortunately, I had an unforeseen business complication back in the city so the day I made it here, I had to turn around and go right back." Even though he responded, his eyes were mostly still trained on the auctioneer, signaling that he wasn't in the mood to be interrogated right now. Beth stayed silent, focusing her gaze on the pieces being auctioned, trying to be invisible in the conversation taking place around her.

"Duty calls, to be sure," she acknowledged. "I see you've purchased the most expensive piece of the event." Here, Beth saw her eyes twinkle with unabashed excitement and expectation. "I do hope you are planning on putting it to good use very soon." With that statement she gave him a sly smile and a wink before nodding her head off in Anne's direction.

Fortunately, the auctioneer had finished with the bidding and looked to Mrs. DeBourgh to make some closing remarks so the party continued, forcing her to leave Darcy and Beth to themselves before getting any sort of response from him to her insinuation.

With the auction finished, those who won their bids were invited to the library where they could indicate which charity the funds would be donated too, as well as retrieve the pieces that they had won.

They both stood up with the rest of the crowd, Darcy turning towards her, running his fingers down the side of back, following the side edge of her dress. Her sharp inhale elicited a small smile as he leaned his head close to her ear.

"I'll find you," he whispered as he moved fluidly into the crowd that had begun to return inside. _I'm sure you will._

She stood for a moment, letting her senses calm from being on edge the past fifteen minutes. She looked around and saw Anne, who raised her eyes in question at her, clearly having seen her interaction with Darcy. Anne gave her a quick smile before turning to some of the staff and directing them where to move the table and chairs to open up some more space for the full band and dancing.

Needing some space from the crowd and more than a little concerned about running into Mrs. DeBourgh, Beth headed in the opposite direction of the crush of guests. Meandering around the side of the house, she found herself on a side patio that was enclosed in a wire canopy which supported a nest of climbing trees and vines, interspersed with tiny LED lights. Standing in the center, looking up, it felt like she was in a forest tent, looking up at the stars. She closed her eyes and let her mind wander as she slowed her breathing.

Her mind registered the faint footsteps coming up behind her, the rich masculine spice aroma infusing her nose signaling who was approaching her. He didn't say anything; he came up flush behind her, his arm snaking around to rest on her lower stomach, pulling her hips tight against his; his breath warm against her ear as he teasingly pulled her earlobe into his mouth.

"God, how I want you," his words came out harsh with pent up desire.

She moaned and laid her head back against his shoulder, giving him full access to her neck.

"We can't. Not here." Stepping away from her, he grabbed her hand and lead her around to the front of the building, the driveway empty now the all of the guests were arrived and settled. He pulled keys to a golf cart from his pocket and ushered her onto the passenger seat.

"Where are we going?"

"To the guest house."

They drove in silence down the drive. Beth was barely breathing, the alcohol and expectation of what was going to happen overwhelming her senses. Darcy, on the other hand, was focused intensely; his mouth a hard line of determination that sent goosebumps over her skin. Beth unlocked the front door and they barely made it inside before she was spun around, her back against the front door and Darcy's mouth on hers. He kissed her like he'd been starved of her for a year, when it had only been a week, and she kissed him back encouraging him to take all the sustenance he needed.

His hands gripped her buttocks and pulled her hips flush against his. Her hands managed to reach up between them and lock around his neck. His mouth broke from hers, both of them panting trying to replenish their oxygen, when a moment of clarity struck her and she pulled her head back to look at him.

"Why did you leave?" she asked quietly. _Why did you leave me;_ that's want she wanted to say.

His jaw clenched as he struggled to control his desire long enough to respond to her. "I don't know. It was too much," he bit out.

"What do you mean 'too much'? Did you separate Charles from Jane? Did he leave because of you?" her brows furrowed as the hurt she had felt began to seep back into her heart. She felt a tear well up and slip down her cheek.

His breath came out in a rush as his face leaned in and he kissed the tiny, wet reminder from her cheek. He rested his forehead against hers, struggling to find words. "Beth, I need you now; we both need this. I have my reasons, can we please talk in the morning?" His breathing was labored and she could tell how on edge he was; every muscle was taut, there was a sheen of sweat on his forehead, and his erection was as hard as a rock pressing into her stomach.

 _He's right. You do need this._ Before she could get the better of herself, her hands grabbed his face pulling his mouth to hers.

This time, he seemed intent on not letting her mouth go. Kissing her as he picked her up and carried her up the stairs to the master bedroom. He entered the room, kicked the door shut behind him. Setting her down, her back facing the door, his palms came to rest on either side of her head as he finally let her mouth go. His face looked strained, like he was in exquisite pain from holding back his lust, and he was panting harshly.

"Beth, I can't go slow.." he trailed off as though he wanted to say something else but couldn't hold focus long enough to do it.

She relaxed, content knowing that he was restraining himself so he didn't hurt her. The problem was, she wanted him just as badly. Her hands slid from around his neck to grasp both sides of his face.

"So don't," she replied. She saw primal need flare in his liquid bronze eyes for a second before his mouth crashed mercilessly onto hers.

He moved so fast, she could hardly keep track of every touch as he kissed her voraciously. His hands moved from the door, over her shoulders to palm and squeeze her aching breasts. Moaning into his mouth, she pushed herself into his hands just as they continued their journey south. He found the slit in her dress and spread it to the sides of her legs, reaching between them to her core. He groaned as he felt her underwear that were completely soaked. He quickly moved the material to the side of her folds as she heard his other hand unzip his pants and free his erection.

His whispered ' _I'm sorry'_ came a moment before she was lifted off the ground and he was impaling her, sheathing himself to the hilt inside of her. He had lost all control of his lust, his body pounding into hers, slamming her back against the door as he entered her again and again. His powerlessness over his hunger for her fueled her own desire as she rapidly climbed the peak to her own orgasm. She moved against him, aching for release. Finally, his mouth tore from hers.

"Come _now!"_ And that was all it took to send her catapulting over the edge, taking Darcy with her. Her hips flexed against him as her vaginal walls contracted over and over, pulling his orgasm from him as he coated her core with his release.

They stayed like that for what could have been hours for all Beth knew, although it was probably only a few minutes, both of them too sated to move. Darcy pulled out of her with a soft moan and gently set her down on her feet, her dress closing in front of her. He grabbed her hips, slowly maneuvering her to the of the foot of the bed, before stepping back from her.

"Take off your gown," was his command. His words didn't register as she took in the sight before her, his dress shirt still buttoned but disheveled and untucked from his pants, unzipped and hanging precariously from his hips, as his still semi-erect penis jutted out from the opening. When her gaze returned to his, he raised an eyebrow at her daring her to disobey him; she saw amidst the molten hunger, a gratefulness and a possessiveness that warmed her heart, just as her hunger for him began to cause her body to stir again.

With a questioning stare, she slowly reached her arms around the back of her neck, knowing that clasp was the only thing holding her dress on. She held his eyes as she unlocked it, her gown rushing to the ground in a whisper of silk. His eyes traveled tortuously over her body, drinking in the sight of her. She hadn't worn a bra, and since the dress was white, she opted for the tiniest white thong that she owned to minimize any underwear lines through the thin silk; a thong that was currently stuffed next to her thigh, exposing her completely to his eyes. Her nipples tightened painfully as his gaze caressed her body as it moved slowly down the length of her; his fists clenched at his sides and his member became fully erect, even larger than before. Her eyes widened at the sight and shot to his asking, _"Again, so soon?"_

He moved back in front of her with a small smile on his face - an answer to her question. His hand came up to gently caress her cheek, then his fingers slid tortuously slow down the column of her neck, along her collar bone, and finally over the aching swell of her breast to circle her nipple. She gasped his name and tried to push her breast further into his hand; he pulled his hand back from her movement to circle her nipple on his palm before dropping his hand to his side.

"Take off your underwear and lie on the bed with your legs over the edge," he instructed her before making quick work divesting his own clothes.

Beth did as he asked and laid on the bed propped up on her elbows to watch him. Once he was naked he didn't come to her, though, instead she watched him walk into the bathroom and she heard the faucet turn on for a brief moment. He came back into the room carrying a damp washcloth and she knew what he was going to do.

Kneeling between her legs, at the foot of the bed, he began to gently cleanse her folds, wiping away the remains of both her and his desire. She felt her body flushing all over, desire building again as he stroked her hypersensitive clit.

"Now I'm going to make love to you slowly," he smirked, a devilish glean in his eyes as he set the washcloth down and replaced it with his mouth. Her body jerked not just from his attentions but from the words he had chosen.

His hands reached around to grab her hips and pull her core tight to him as his tongue began to lap at her. She watched him lick her for a few moments before her arms began to feel like jello and she had to lay completely back onto the bed.

She felt the pleasure seep into every cell in her body; the warmth, the tension, the pull of another orgasm building slowly as he excruciatingly teased her with his mouth. Licking her clit, darting his tongue inside her folds, her hips jerked up against his hands in response. She grabbed the comforter on either side of her as her head thrashed back and forth, her pleasure becoming unbearable.

" _Please, Darcy._ "

At her plea, he paused. Taking one last lick over her clit that left her quivering, he lifted his head from her core, placing an open-mouthed kiss on her stomach. His hands left her hips, one traveling to her breast, the other to her folds; he pinched her nipple as he inserted two fingers inside her, feeling her core clench around him as she bucked and moaned. _She was so close._

 _"_ You're so wet and ready for me." She felt another surge of liquid at his words.

Withdrawing his fingers, he reached behind her and grabbed a pillow to prop her hips up. Holding his erection firmly, he rubbed its head back and forth over her opening, stimulating her clit and coating himself with her juices.

Finally, he responded to her plea, allowing just the tip of himself to enter her. She arched her hips trying to take more of him, but he pulled back, staying in control of their joining. His hands anchored her hips as he slowly entered her further in and then back out again. When she submitted to his pace, his right hand moved to splay over her lower stomach so that he could thumb her clit each time he entered her, each time bringing her higher and higher, closer and closer to her release. _It was torture._

" _Please, I need you."_

 _"_ How?" His voice was curt and her eyes cracked open to see his face. He was on the edge too, but he was going slow for her. His restraint evident in the tension and sheen of sweat on his whole body; he had taken her hard initially and now he was trying to make up for it, trying to draw out her pleasure as long as he could. She moaned loudly as he entered her again, bringing her right to the edge of orgasm.

"I need you harder and faster," she panted, "I can't take it. Please, I need all of you."

Their eyes locked for a moment before he let go of his restraint and slammed into her. Her body rejoiced as it hurdled toward release. One. Two. On his third demanding entry she shattered, screaming as every muscle in her body locked, her core contracting endlessly around him. With the waves of her orgasm, he was done for; he slammed into her two more times before she felt the jet of his release coating the inside of her. As she began to relax, she felt him still pumping in to her, his erection twitching as he continued to ejaculate inside of her.

She watched the effect it had on him. His face completely relaxing, all the tension leaving his body. He was beautiful and she loved him. _Oh, God. No. No no no no._ She must have shaken her head because it jarred him from his pleasure-induced trance and he slowly pulled out of her with a questioning gaze. Taking the washcloth, he wiped himself off and when she went to sit up to do the same, he put his hand up.

"Stay there." Her face flushed at the command, knowing what her lower parts must look like after all that sex. As if he read her thoughts, he looked her in the eyes and continued, "You are exquisite." And to prove his point, he knelt and gave her very sensitive clit a thorough, but gentle, kiss before walking back into the bathroom to get her a fresh washcloth.

Like before, he washed her and then tucked her into the bed, climbing in beside her. She wanted to protest, saying that the still needed to talk, but she could barely get a coherent word out before he silenced her with a kiss and a placating, "in the morning." She sighed and curled against his chest, succumbing to blissful exhaustion.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

The rich scent of masculine spice and the feel of her cheek on a warm chest were her first sensations on waking up the following morning. She peered her eyes open remembering where she was - and with whom. She replayed the night before, sighing contentedly as she snuggled closer onto his chest. _Wow, that was a good night's sleep._ She wanted to know what time it was but she didn't want to move and risk waking Darcy, she was enjoying her pillow far too much.

"Good morning sunshine," he said. His voice was deep and raspy from sleep. _Damn!_ She had wanted to enjoy her spot for a few minutes longer.

"Good morning," she said quietly, determined not to move unless he made her. "What time is it?" She took a chance, angling her head to peer up at him.

"You've been sleeping for a long time. I can tell you what it's time for though…" His eyes glinted mischievously as his hand moved from her side to trace the curve of her breast.

"You're insatiable!" she laughed as she shrugged his hand off. "Plus, we need to talk. You promised me." To emphasize her point, she reluctantly sat up, holding the bedsheets up against her chest.

He smiled up at her; it was one of the most beautiful things she'd ever seen. _Darcy, happy._ "Alright, well it's almost seven fifteen," he admitted, "I just need a minute."

With a grunt, he pushed himself up and got out of the bed, pulling on his dress pants uncomfortably over his erect penis, which clearly would have rather been doing other things. "I'll be right back." _Oh, God. Not again._ She watched him with concern as he left the room, shirtless, and head him jog down the steps.

 _He was leaving again._ She felt panic start to set it. Then, she heard footsteps coming back up the steps and her shoulders collapsed in relief. He came back into the room holding his suit jacket from last night and moved to sit on the side of the bed.

"Beth," his eyes bored into hers as he began, "you are one of the most beautiful and admirable women I have ever met. Your ambition, your accomplishments, and your steadfast character have impressed me to my core. I am in awe of you."

Beth felt her eyes widen. She was not prepared for this. _Where was his explanation for everything that had happened?_

"You are one of few people who doesn't balk at standing up to me; you challenge me and my views on the world with a steadfast grace that I've never encountered before. I've fallen in love with you, Beth."

 _Holy shit. Oh my God._ Was she still breathing? She wasn't sure. She felt lightheaded, like she could pass out any moment. Was this for real? Did Darcy just admit that he loved her? _Darcy loves you._

She continued to stare at him in shock as he reached in his jacket and grabbed a box from one of the pockets, the letters DB in a gold flourish on the top. _What was—-_

"I want to marry you, Beth. I love you. Will you marry me?" He opened the box to reveal the ring he had bid on and won the previous night, the diamond and rubies sparkling in the morning sun streaming in from the windows.

She stared blankly at the giant ring, paralyzed with shock. _Darcy loves her. Darcy wants to marry her._ God, she hoped this wasn't a dream. She loved him; as much as she didn't want to, she did and knowing that he felt the same was a happiness beyond words. Sheer joy blossomed in her chest, like nothing she had ever felt before. She looked up finally to meet his questioning gaze.

"I know it's a lot, but once I set my mind on something, on having you, I can't wait. It doesn't have to be right away. There are … some things… you should know about me first, but I want your commitment."

She barely registered his hesitation when he said that she needed to know some things about him or even what he said, she was stuck on the fact the _he wanted to marry her._ The thought made her feel warm everywhere. She gave him a tremulous smile, trying to remember how to work her voice again.

 _I can't believe this. Wait until I tell Jane._

 _Jane._ The cold crash of reality washed over her and she shivered. He saw the immediate change that came over her and his brows drew together in concern, "Beth?"

"How can I marry someone who hasn't been honest with me?" She didn't know where they came from, because her mind was a mess, but her words somehow had found a way out with vehemence. "Darcy, you haven't told me anything since the day that we met, not a single thing - not even something as simple as how I magically went from being barely 'tolerable' to being admirable to being someone that you want to marry?" The anger and frustration and confusion that had built up and been caged inside of her had finally found its release. With every word, her tone and emotion became more forceful, more angry.

For as smart as he was, he clearly wasn't expecting that response. _Well, she wasn't just going to say 'yes' and forget about everything else just because he was gorgeous. And sexy. And rich. And she loved him. UGH. Shit._

 _"_ Oh Beth," he laughed exasperatedly, "Dammit, I called you tolerable because I could barely tolerate being around you, I was so attracted to you; it was something that I'd never experienced before and I said tolerable so that it wouldn't be a lie to Charles, but also so that he wouldn't ask questions that I didn't have answers to at that point." He paused to look at her and she could see the desperation in his eyes. "Don't you see how much of an effect you have on me?"

"Darcy, you selective wording choice is the least of my concerns right now," Beth responded harshly. Her floodgates had opened and even though it felt momentarily gratifying to have him explain _something_ to her, she barely registered it as the torrent of angry frustration just kept coming, "God! Maybe it makes sense to you why you've treated me with uncontrolled lust one minute and then callous disregard the next, but I certainly don't understand it or know where that means I stand with you. You go around and live your life, ordering people about, controlling their lives with no resistance, no explanation - it's why I gave you the name 'Mr. Intolerable'! You're all about maintaining control over people and directing their choices, but that's not me! I'll admit that I'm irrationally attracted, hell, just plan irrational when it comes to you, but that doesn't mean that I'm just some puppet you can maneuver however you want. I deserve answers, I deserve to know why the man _I gave my virginity to_ seems to lack even the slightest inkling to return that level of respect!"

She was yelling at him now and for the first time, probably in his entire life, the shock of being called out not only left him speechless but his usual defense mechanisms were no where to be found; his face was an open book of shock, hurt, and regret.

"And even beyond that, forget about the explanation I deserve about what's been happening between us. What happened between you and George? You had Anne, who I thought was your girlfriend, hunt me down and warn me about him when I barely knew her, then you punched him right in front of me, and even though he might have deserved it, you've still yet to give me an explanation for it."

Even though her words came out angry, her eyes pleaded with him just to talk to her. Yet, he just stood there, partly in shock and partly processing everything that she was throwing at him. After a few seconds, when it was clear that he wasn't going to respond, she continued, her anger somewhat deflated.

"But more importantly than any of that, what about Charles? Did you purposefully separate him from Jane? Is that why he left?" This question didn't come out angry, it came out pleading; she begged him to tell her that he'd had no involvement in breaking Jane's heart. _Please say no. Please._

"Yes."

There was no hesitation, no detectable sounds of remorse in his one word answer, and no attempt to explain his actions; just a definitive 'yes,' the confidence in his decision was echoed by his words, or lack thereof. His mouth formed a grim line as his eyes looked down to his hands, still holding the open ring box in his lap. _Well I guess that was her answer._ She felt the tears starting to collect in her eyes.

"How could you do that to Jane?" she responded quietly, still reeling from his answer. It wasn't like she hadn't known all along that it had been because of him, but she'd been living in denial, hoping for some obscure reason or for some justified explanation; but for him to simply admit it to her with no rationale, no exculpation, the shred of denial she had been clinging to finally broke.

His jaw clenched and he stood up from the bed, snapping the ring box closed. He ran his hand through his hair before turning to look at her again.

"Beth, do you love me?"

 _Yes._ She didn't answer though, because she knew she wouldn't be able to hold her ground if he knew she felt the same way. _God, how could he even ask her that now._

"What does it matter about George Wickham or Charles and Jane? It's not important now." he asked her, his voice raised in his agitation. "I love you and I want to marry you. If you love me, you will want me regardless of what these people have done, regardless of what I have done."

"Darcy, how can you say that you love me if you can't even be open with me and answer me first!" She yelled, a tear escaping and slipping down her cheek, "God, you're doing it right now - trying to control me, control this situation. You don't even have the decency to acknowledge my concerns or what I'm asking you, you just brush them off and try to steer me back right where you want me. You don't want to deal with anything that you don't think is important, regardless of what it means for me; I can't believe you even asked me to marry you. Hell, I'm surprised you didn't just come in and inform me that that is what is going to happen! I can't marry someone who won't even talk to me, who won't even treat me like an equal. You need to stop being so proud and either let me in or leave me alone!"

"I see." With that cold response, his stoic mask descended instantly back upon his face, shutting out all remnants of emotion. "Well, in that case, I won't bother you any longer."

All of the color drained from her face as she watch him grab his shirt and shoes and storm out of the room and the house, slamming the front door on his way out.

 _Alone. Again._

Beth didn't know for how long she sad on the bed, in shock from what had just happened. _Darcy loves me._ How can he love me if he doesn't trust me with any information. _He wants to marry me._ How can he expect her to want to marry someone that she doesn't know? She knew she was crying, but oddly enough she didn't feel sad.

It was his fault that she couldn't say yes; if he had just told her what had happened, she would have married him tonight. Jane was right, sometimes you just know when you are meant to be with someone, even if you haven't known them for that long or know that much about them. There's just the instinct that you are meant to be together; an instinct that she smothered when she refused him.

 _Or you could have just said yes, because you do love him. As his fiancée, would he really have kept those things from you?_ She cringed, realizing that her heart had a point.

He obviously was the way that he was - pushy, proud, overbearing, demanding, the list goes on, for a reason, even if that reason was just a thirty-some year habit. She wasn't trying to justify how he had treated her, but she couldn't help but think that this was how he'd interacted with people probably for as long as he could remember. She didn't know much about his mom, but she must have died when he was really young. And then his father clearly had very high expectations of his son, so how loving could he have been? Maybe he didn't know that this isn't how you treat people that you love and care about.

 _Did I make a mistake?_

What had she done? Had she thrown away her chance at love and happiness, all for what? Pride? Because she wanted to know, _had_ to know. Was it that important? She really wasn't so sure anymore and that scared her.

She got in the shower, letting the water obscure her tears. Deep down she knew that she couldn't love Darcy like she did if she didn't believe that whatever happened between him and George was somehow George's fault; and that whatever his reasons for separating Jane and Charles were because he had his friend's best interests at heart. She may be a lot of things, but her gut was rarely wrong about people and her gut was saying to trust that whatever his reasons were, they were honorable.

As she packed up her things, she tried to believe that she had done the right thing but everything inside her said that she had been too stubborn, that she had pushed too far. She vacillated between feeling justified in her outrage and being overwhelmed with regret for not handling the situation differently; the worst part was even when she was sure that he'd deserved everything he had gotten, she was still left with the sense that she had condemned herself to life without love.

 _Good job, Beth, you cut off your nose to spite your face._

She had to get out of here. Everywhere she looked reminded her of what she had so carelessly thrown away. She needed to go home and talk to Jane. She hadn't heard from her all week. _Oh God, where was her phone?_ She hadn't checked it since before the party last night.

She ran downstairs and found her small clutch on the floor by the front door to the guesthouse, where she had dropped it last night. Her breath caught, remembering Darcy begging her to just be with him.

She ripped open her purse and pulled out her phone. Missed calls from Jane and Char and a text from Anne. _Ok, not so bad._ She opened up the message to Anne, hoping that Mrs. DeBourgh didn't expect to see her this morning; she knew she didn't have to courage to face that woman right now.

" _Hey, no worries about last night. I covered for you. Hope everything went well… I don't know everything but William is as loyal as they come and I hope that when you guys talk, you'll see that he would anything to protect the people he cares about."_

Beth burst out in tears, her back resting against the wall as she slid down to sit on the floor. _What was she supposed to do?_ She loved him, but she also wouldn't let him control her; she had a right to know why he had broken Jane and Charles up, but that wasn't the problem was it. Anne was completely right. Whatever Darcy had done, he did it with his friend's best interest at heart, and Beth knew she would never be able to fault him for it.

 _"_ _Thank you. Things didn't go quite as planned. I'm going to head back into the city before your mom decides she wants to see me; I need to go home. Tell her I'll email her on Monday to follow-up."_

 _"_ _Thanks again for everything."_

Dejected and needing her sister's comfort, she went back upstairs to grab her stuff and call for an uber. When the car arrived, she stared at the bed for a minute, replaying everything Darcy had said to her, about her, before she'd let her emotions overcome and control her and she let one last tear slip down her cheek.

She walked out of the house, leaving those memories and her hope for their future locked in side. In all her pride, in all her independence, she'd put herself before the man that she loved and pushed away the only man who would ever love her.


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

When Beth walked in the apartment door, Jane immediately knew that something was wrong and she didn't have the strength or desire to keep it from her sister any longer.

"Beth, you have to tell me what's going on. I know you've been keeping things from me for awhile but you need to talk to me, to let me help you," Jane insisted immediately.

"I know, I'm sorry. Just let me set my stuff down and then I'll tell you what's been going on. Hope you don't have any plans this afternoon - it's a long story," Beth replied and she went to unload her stuff into her bedroom.

When she came back out, Jane had already made tea and was waiting for her on the couch. Beth sat down with a deep breath, took a sip of tea, and began to tell her sister everything that had happened between her and Darcy, everything that she had kept from her before, everything that had happened this past weekend, everything right down to his involvement with Charles heading back to Boston.

Surprisingly, she didn't cry throughout her entire explanation - she must have been fresh out of tears. The weight off of her chest, opening up to Jane, was a small balm to sooth her broken heart. When she was done, Jane took a minute to process everything. She'd kept quiet throughout the whole tale, not wanted to interrupt her sister who clearly needed to get everything out in the open. She leaned in, enveloping Beth in a hug that broke down her last remnants of reserve as the tears began to flow again.

"Do you love him, Beth?" Leave it to the ever-perceptive Jane to boil the whole ordeal down to the most important question of them all.

"Yes." Her lower lip trembled as she admitted the truth. "But I don't want to, after everything he has put you, and me, through." She was beating herself up over an emotion that she knew she had no control over.

"Oh, B," Jane grabbed a tissue and wiped the tears off of her cheeks, "I may not be quite like you, but I'm a strong woman. I don't want to be the reason you are holding yourself back from happiness and torturing yourself for your feelings," she said desperately. "Charles is a grown man who can make his own decisions; regardless of what Mr. Darcy said or did, it was his own choice to leave and if I know him, at least a little from our time together, I'm sure he would agree with me; he would never put the blame on Darcy or think that Darcy made him."

 _She's right; It was Charles' choice to leave no matter what Darcy told him._ The revelation only intensified the pain and regret that she was feeling, the full weight of the ramifications of her actions becoming clear. Her hand came over her mouth to stifle a sob.

"Shhh, Beth, just breathe. It's going to be ok," Jane tried to comfort her before continuing, "I can't imagine what Mr. Darcy said to him, but I know Charles would never have him as so close of a friend if he didn't believe that Mr. Darcy only had his best interests at heart; so, I'm sure that whatever transpired, Mr. Darcy thought that he was helping Charles."

Beth didn't know if her sister's opinions were helping or hurting more at this point. Either way, the bottom line was the same: Jane was right. _She was so right; how could she have been so blind?_

She could blame it on her emotions, being so wired that she wasn't thinking clearly. She could say that it was easy for an outsider, like Jane, to see the big picture; but that would be a lie. She had been blinded by her pride in her independence and her own need for control, and by her prejudice against him for not being open with her, assuming that he must have done something dishonorable, that she completely missed the most blatant observations available.

They very same qualities that she had held against him, she had been guilty of herself, and not only was she in the wrong, but she had let those qualities destroy her chance for love.

"You're right, Jane. You're so right," she whispered, her voice think with emotion and tears. "What have I done?" The tears began to roll uncontrollably down her face as she searched her sister's gaze for some answers.

"B, it's all going to be ok. This is Mr. Darcy we are talking about; the man who always gets what he wants. If he loves you like he says he does, then he won't give up on you that easily. He will try to rectify the mistakes that he's made, that you've accused him of, and if he wants you, he will open up to you completely," Jane tried to reassure her.

 _It's true, he did always get what he wanted. But what if she truly had lost his good opinion this time? What if she had finally pushed him too far?_

"Beth? Are you ok?"

Vaguely Jane's voice cut through the fog. She hadn't realized that she had spaced out, as her mind spiral through all the possibilities of what Darcy could be thinking about her right now.

"I'll be ok," she shook her head and mumbled, "I think I'm just going to go lay down for a little while. I'm so tired." Jane gave her a questioning stare as Beth forced herself to steadily stand up from the couch and make her way back to her room.

"Just let me know if you need me."

Beth turned, "I'm sorry for everything, Jane."

Jane gave her a weak smile and nodded before turning towards the kitchen, trying to hide the fact that she, too, was on the brink of tears.

Beth closed her bedroom door and collapsed onto her bed. In spite of her ruminating, she was asleep within minutes and didn't wake up again until morning.

Unsure how it was possible, but she woke up still feeling tired even after sleeping over twelve hours. Beth looked at clock and realized it was eight forty-five; she was supposed to be at work in fifteen minutes. _Shit._

Dragging herself out of bed, she went into the living room searching for her phone. She saw it laying on the kitchen counter with a Post-It on top.

 _I already called Phil and told him you would be working from home today. Told him the party was a huge success and you were drained. - Jane_

Beth smiled. Jane was really the best out of all of them. Giving her not just any excuse to recuperate at home for the day, but an excuse that made her look good to her boss.

The first few hours of the morning passed in a daze. Her mind was focused on Darcy while her body went through the motions of eating, showering, and unpacking. Deciding it was finally time to do at least some work today, Beth grabbed her laptop and sat down on the couch.

 _Knock knock._

In an instant her body was on edge. The last time someone had knocked unexpectedly at her door it had been Darcy. Maybe Jane was right, maybe he wouldn't give up that easily. She shoved her computer off her laptop and rushed to open the door.

"Hey, sorry to drop in on you like this."

Beth stared at an apologetic Anne for a moment until her heart stopped racing and hurting at the realization that it wasn't Darcy who had come for her.

"Hey, it's ok. What's up? Come in."

"Ok. I can't stay; I have to meet my mom for lunch," she gave Beth a knowing glance. "I stopped by your office and your boss said that you weren't coming in today; he looked a little concerned but I told him that it was a personal visit not business, don't worry. I had to see you, though." Here Anne paused and bit her lip, appearing afraid to continue.

"Is everything ok? What's going on? Did your mom find out something?" _Just what she needed right now, to have that woman put an end to her career._

"Oh, no! No, no. Nothing about my mom, thank God," Anne laughed nervously, "No, I'm here as a messenger, again. I told him I didn't want to, that I didn't feel right being in this position again, but he said he know that you don't want to see him but that you had to have this today."

Beth's heard started beating in her ears. _Darcy had sent her a message._ She stared expectantly at Anne as she pulled an envelope from her purse and handed it to Beth.

"Please don't be upset with me. He just seemed really desperate and I couldn't turn him down."

Anne's pleading tone made Beth realize that she had completely ignored the part about how her friend clearly thought she was going to be mad at her because Darcy couldn't deliver his own message, again. Taking the envelope, she reassured Anne that she wasn't upset.

"No, don't be sorry. Please. I'm just glad you told him you'd come. We didn't exactly leave things on the best note, but I'm sure he told you that."

"Ahh, well he actually didn't. He didn't tell me anything, except that you needed to get this letter but, I'm also not blind. He looked like he hadn't slept well, like something was definitely on his mind. I swear though, if he didn't make it sound as if it was a matter of life and death, I would have told him too bad," Anne explained.

"Is he ok?" she knew Darcy hadn't told Anne anything but she couldn't stop herself from asking. She needed to know if there was any hope.

"Well, like I said, he really didn't look good but I didn't get to talk to him very long because I had to leave in order to get this to you and make it to lunch on time. I don't know what happened but I've only ever seen him this affected by someone once before, but that was a long time ago and I don't really know what happened or who it was. "

 _Interesting._ Beth couldn't care less about the past now though, all she could think about was what he thought of her now and that from what Anne had just said, it seemed like he was just as affected by their fallout as she was. She felt the tiniest warmth spread throughout her. _Hope._

"Well, I hope whatever he wrote clears the air. I have to head out though before my mom calls and wonders where I am. Just call me if you need anything."

Beth leaned in and hugged her. "Thank you."

Anne hugged her back and then headed for the elevator as Beth went back inside her apartment. She ran to the couch and opened the envelope, pulled out several sheets of folded paper, her hands shaking as she unfolded them and began to read the letter she knew would change her life.


	35. Chapter 35

_Beth,_

 _Thank you for accepting this letter from Anne. Don't worry, I'm not going to reiterate or dwell on the feelings or the offer of marriage that I expressed to you in our last conversation. I'm sure both of us would rather forget that painful and humbling experience. If it weren't for your dismal assessment of my character, I would have left you in peace as you asked._

 _You accused me of not being open and truthful with you about two separate situations, and the truth is that you are right._

 _I was the one who convinced Charles to go back to Boston. I told him that there was a family emergency and that his father needed him home right away; he was naturally very concerned and upset so I told him that I would call your father to put the deal on hold and that I would text Jane for him. After we arrived in Boston, I told Charles that his family was fine but that I needed to talk to him without work or, more importantly, personal distractions. He was very confused and upset that I had lied to him to get him out of the city for which I apologized but I knew that he would be too preoccupied in the city to assure me that he was thinking clearly and I knew that nothing short of a family emergency would pull him from your sister's side._

 _I told him that I have nothing against your sister but things had moved so quickly between them that I was concerned that my friend was being taken advantage of. Weeks ago, at dinner at your parent's house, I overheard Bill Collins assert that it was because of Jane that Charles was lured into this business deal that wasn't going to be beneficial for him. I brushed it off at first, but at time passed, I saw how quickly things between them progressed, from dating to your mom insinuating that they would be getting married soon. I freely admit that I should have paid closer attention, but at that moment my protective instincts kicked in and I was certain that Charles was being taken advantage of; that your sister was only 'attracted' to him for your family's sake so that the business deal would go through. I know now that I was mistaken. I explained all this to him as a poor justification for why I resorted to such drastic measures. Of course, he insisted that I was wrong about Jane and, being a better man than I, put aside his anger to empathize with his overly prejudiced and protective friend. It was I that then suggested that he stay in Boston for the rest of the week, out of contact with Jane, to put his feelings to the test, to be sure that he was in love with her. If that is the case, he would be able to share the news with his family personally and return confident that what he felt was true._

 _However, after seeing you and talking to you, your reaction to their separation confirmed that I had done my friend a disservice and as you read this, I am on my way to remedy that fact. As for your sister, I have nothing to offer except my sincerest apologies for the pain that my misbeliefs have caused her._

 _The next issue that you have confronted me about is my relationship with George Wickham. While I'm sure he has given you his side of our history, I will provide you with mine, along with the assurance that if you ask any third party who was involved that they will validate my version of our past._

 _I'm sure that some of what he told you is not that far from the truth. Growing up, he was very close with my family after his father passed away. We were like brothers and my father did consider him as part of our family. However, as we got older, George began to effuse an air of self-entitlement especially at school and around our friends and new acquaintances. I may be too proud and have a number of other things you would consider character flaws, but the way George expected things, people, and situations to be handed to him irritated me. It's true that him and my father were close, enjoying the more leisurely aspects of life. My father and I had some issues that drove a wedge between us for most of my youth, one of the many consequences of which were that he tried to punish me with his relationship with George. He used George, just as George used him; in some ways, they were cut from the same cloth. However, as George's depravities grew, so did my father's inability to effectively reprimand him to the point where George felt he could get away with anything. At that point I found it easier to just stay away._

 _George was smart; he was accepted to Harvard and not just because of his family ties. However, his carefree attitude only was exacerbated while at college. He was supposed to graduate and come work for the company; my father and I had both agreed. Then, during his junior year, he got a classmate pregnant. The girl asked that he would help support the child and he blatantly refused, saying that it wasn't his. At first, I believed him because the girl said she strangely couldn't remember much from that night. However, she could describe certain physical characteristics of the father that made it clear it was George, even though he kept insisting directly to me that he did not do it. Finally, I confronted some of his friends that were at the party that night while George was home on spring break. I told them if they didn't tell me the truth, I would have them expelled and blacklisted for any job they ever tried to get; naturally, one of them confessed to having given George a roofie to use on the girl who had previously turned him down. As you can imagine, I was livid, not just at what he had done, but how he had lied to me about it._

 _When I got home that night, I walked in on him flirting very suggestively with my younger sister, Georgiana. Since she was so much younger than us - still in high school at the time - she had always had a crush on George and had never really looked at him as just a brother. I grabbed him and dragged him outside the house where I confronted him about drugging the girl. Completely unfazed that he had been caught in a blatant lie, went on to say that she had wanted it and he couldn't be held responsible. I informed in very clearly that he was a fool if he thought he could get away without being responsible for the child; my father may have overlooked a lot when it came to George's indiscretions but he would never allow something like that to happen. When I brought up having to explain this to my father, the blood drained from his face for a moment. Then, he looked me in the eye and said that he was sure that even if "our father" disowned him, that "lovely Georgiana" was more than willing to elope to Europe with him, and with that statement he had me. I had seen how Georgiana looked at him; if I had told her to stay away from him she would have rebelled against me if for no other reason that she was a teenager, let alone the thought of herself in love with George._

 _I told him that I would take responsibility for the girl and not tell my father, but in return he would finish his studies abroad and leave Georgiana alone. He agreed. I contacted the girl and told her that I would help her financially support the child and that summer George left for Europe where he stayed until a few months ago. He kept in contact with my father until he died, and since then I've ignored all his attempts to contact me, and monitored all of the numbers that contact my sister. We never discussed him working for the business after that night; as much as my father loved George, he knew that George wasn't capable of running the business nor would he be a good representative of the company. Regardless of his feelings for George, the business always took precedent over anyone and anything._

 _I've continued to give him the allowance that my father had set up, hoping that would satisfy him enough to keep him away, however it looks like that is no longer enough; I've been informed that he has several large, outstanding debts that caused him to return home. I've offered to pay those debts and modestly increase his allowance, however he seems to have his heart set on the job he was 'promised.' When I told him that I would never hire him, the day of the Charity Ball, he left threatening that he would make sure to get what he was promised._

 _His threat left me on edge. It's why I sent men to watch my sister and her apartment; it's also why I adamantly tried to talk to you when I got to the Ball however, when that was clearly not going to be an option, I insisted that Anne go. She is friends with Georgiana but also knows what George did and agreed that you and your sisters should be forewarned. When he approached you at the end of the night, all I saw was him taking advantage of you to get what he wanted out of me and I couldn't control myself._

 _I know that I've given you no reason to trust my word up to this point but I swear to you that this is the real George Wickham and if you are still in contact with him or your family or sisters are, I urge you and them to proceed with extreme caution._

 _In those two situations I have some reasoning for why I've done what I've done, however I have no such reasons for how I've treated you. You are unlike anyone that I have ever met; you see past the exterior, the money, the power, the position. You see me and you have challenged that part of me that I've locked away deep down inside, to be better. I haven't let anyone in in a long time. Certain situations in my past have conditioned me to assume that it wasn't worth the pain and disappointment; that when people look at me, all they are interested in is what I can do for them. However, that wasn't you and yet I treated you like you were no better than the rest of them which makes it even worse. In fact, most times before, in my past, I just wouldn't bother to get involved, but with you I couldn't stop myself and then I punished you for my lack of control._

 _I'm sure you are wondering why I couldn't just tell you all this on Sunday. Your response threw me off guard. Even though I know you are different than anyone I've ever met, I somehow expected you to react the same as many others would - to be thrilled at my proposal. You shocked me with your refusal and then compounded that with the questions and accusations for my actions which I hadn't given a thought to needing to justify, especially with what happened with Charles._

 _I now know that I made a mistake in my judgment of that situation, which was proved to me by him this past week and that I've been making amends for. I wasn't prepared for your confrontation and confirmation of what I now know to be the truth. In my mind, that situation is in the process of being resolved and when you brought it up, brought up my mistake again to my face, I wasn't prepared and I was ashamed that you knew that it had been because of me; that your sister's suffering had been because of me. Your refusal and the guilt that I felt was something that I hadn't been prepared to handle; no one has refused me anything before._

 _I meant everything that I said to you. You challenge me in so many ways, one of them being that I don't always have to be the one in control. I've been that person for a long time; so long that I'm not sure how to not be him. For most of my life it was only what I thought and my decisions that mattered. When you told me that you needed answers, I brushed it off because I needed to be in control; I wanted your response to me and the thought of needing to explain myself threw me off guard. To me, the answers you wanted were inconsequential. But they weren't to you and I pushed you away because of it._

 _I wanted to marry you because you challenge me to be a better man, and at every instance for me to be that man, I closed you off and made you feel like you had done something wrong. I can't undo how I have treated you and you were justified in your refusal of me. You deserve much better than me; and more than that, you deserve the answers to your questions which is why I've written you this letter. I hope that what I've told you has cleared your mind of all the uncertainties that I left you with and has in some way altered your perception of me for the better. Be well._

 _William Darcy_


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Beth watched the scenery fly by the window in a daze, a daze that she had been in since Monday when she read Darcy's letter. It was now Friday and she was sitting in the passenger seat of Phil's car as he drove them up to Tarrytown, New York to assess some of the old-money mansions on the Hudson as potential event locations for several clients.

 _It was ironic that a letter that made the past instantly so clear had in the same breath made her future so hazy._

She replayed the moments immediately after she had finished Darcy's letter over and over again in her head; the shock, the clarity that had come with his revelations. When she had begun reading, her heart had dropped into her stomach at the tone at the beginning of the letter; he started off with his proud confidence ready to bombard her with a self-righteous defense for his actions. As he continued, that controlled façade crumbled; even just writing to her, his instinctive guard came down as his tone turned remorseful and defeated. She hadn't expected a warm, mushy confession of love or an anguished set of excuses followed by pleading words of love - that just wasn't Darcy, and if it was, she probably wouldn't love him like she did. She also hadn't expected any reiteration of his feelings toward her or any discussion of the intimacies that they had shared, those things he would only say in person. She knew that what he had written to her was a huge step for him; such a simple thing - to explain your actions - which she knew how little he'd had to do up to this point in his life, and yet, that he humbled himself to write this to her, especially after her harsh refusal, made her heart clench. The William Darcy that she had met at the Gala would have never deigned to explain himself to someone who just so blatantly rejected him. His letter wasn't everything, she knew that, but knowing the magnitude of what it must have taken him to write it made her want to cry out of love for him.

What he had confessed about his involvement with Charles and Jane hadn't been that much of a surprise, she had known it was him, and Jane had known that his intervention would only have occurred with the most noble intentions at heart. What was a shock was his uncharacteristic humility in admitting that he had made a mistake; something he had made clear that he actively tried to prevent.

His revelations about Wickham surprised her in that she wasn't surprised by them at all. Sure, he had been funny and charming and almost made you feel comfortable around him, but she always got the feeling that it wasn't real; that nothing he said or did was real, unless it was beneficial to him. She had known he wasn't really attracted to her; she could sense that every time he flirted with her, it was like he was trying too hard. He had used her family to get close to Darcy and he had used her to irritate and provoke Darcy. Beth couldn't believe she had been fooled by George to the point where she had stood up for him; she was usually so much better at reading people. Then again, for the past month, her heart and her brain had been in a frenzy over Darcy, most of the time angry with him and prejudiced to believe the worst. It was no wonder George had slipped under her radar.

Finally, he had explained himself to her and again, when she thought about it, hardly any of it had come as a surprise. Deep down she knew why he had acted the way he did - even Char and Jane had been able to decipher his feelings. What broke her was that he finally opened up to her about how he felt, so she didn't have to imagine it any more. It wasn't sonnets and songs, effusing and declaring his undying love like you see in the movies. No, it was an emotionally traumatized man who had broke through his own walls and allowed himself to be vulnerable by telling her, no matter how briefly, how much she had affected him and how much she meant to him; he had given up control to her. _And it broke her._

Instead of accepting his feelings when he first attempted to convey them, she had shoved them in his face telling him that he was a liar to say that he loved her. She had been so focused on breaking down his pride that she had been blinded to her own. To accuse him of treating someone he "loves" so poorly and then at the first instance of him submitting to his feelings to her, she completely disregarded them for her pride, reinforcing why he tried to cage his emotions for so long - because it only led to hurt. It was no wonder he wanted to forget that conversation ever occurred, she had broken his heart.

She traded love for the pride and control that she had hung her hat on for so long, and now it didn't seem like very much. She had cried the rest of the day. When Jane came home Beth let her read the letter, she deserved to know not just because of what happened with Charles but what was happening with her and Darcy and she was too emotional to tell her outright.

Jane hugged her sister and calmly told her that she knew what had happened between Charles and Darcy because Charles had called her earlier. He called her and apologized; Jane said he was practically in tears for abandoning her with no explanation. He knew that his friend was very concerned for his future happiness and felt that he had to take him seriously, even though he couldn't believe that her feelings for him had been faked. He said that he didn't know how she could ever forgive him for not trusting her but that he truly wanted to spend the rest of his life making it up to her. Of course, Jane responded in the only way that Jane could. She simply forgave him, knowing that he had only done what he felt was right and that she couldn't hold it against him. She knew how the situation looked and she admitted that she was partially to blame for not being as open with him as she should have. The rest of the conversation seemed like it had been a battle between who loves who more, with both of them ending happily in love by the end of the call and Charles saying that he would be back in the city the following day.

Through the dullness that had invaded her heart, Beth felt a spark of happiness and relief for her sister. At least she wouldn't have the weight of destroying both their futures on her shoulders. She knew what she said to Darcy had prompted him to not only admit he was wrong to her, but also to Charles. When Charles returned the following day, she overheard him tell Jane that Darcy had showed up in Boston the day before to bring him back to New York City - to bring him back to her. Charles asked her to not hold Darcy's actions against him; he was loyal to a fault and had truly feared for his friend's happiness. That was all she managed to learn about Darcy's whereabouts though and she was too much of a coward to try to contact him now; he wanted to forget about her and his feelings for her and she didn't blame him. It was the least she could do now to respect that wish.

Without any prompting, Jane had decided it would be best to try to keep Beth's emotional state from their family as long as possible, especially from their mom. She did, however, convey select information about George Wickham. She tried to impress on Mrs. Bennet that it wasn't appropriate for Lydia to hang out with him on her own without any supervision; she even added in that Charles had some concerns about the quality of his character, hoping that in an effort to please Charles, her mother would take her warning to heart. Unfortunately, her mom was too preoccupied with Charles' return to pay much attention to what her other daughters were doing, which was concerning when it came to how reckless Lydia and Kat could be. For Beth though, now that Charles' pursuit of Jane back on track and with renewed vigor, their mom was blissfully ignorant of her suffering. The business arrangement back on track, John Bennet was busy transitioning the ownership of the corporation and was too distracted to pay much attention to any of his daughters at the moment.

Char had stopped by in the middle of the week to hang out. Beth knew Jane had probably called her to come over to try and cheer her up, which she did for a few minutes. Char said that things were going really well with Bill and she shared some great awkward stories about their first official date. Beth had smiled and enjoyed her friend's tales, but she felt like it wasn't even her that was responding; she felt like she was a ghost, watching herself interact with her friend but that it wasn't real. That person who laughed at her friend's story was hollow, her heart and her emotions were lost and drifting because it was too painful to acknowledge them. Char could sense it, but there was nothing that her or Jane could do. Beth needed time to process and recover from what had happened and all they could try was to make her forget her pain every once in a while and remember that she was still capable of laughter.

She was turning into a shell of her former self - her family and friends could see it and even Phil had noticed in the office. She was pretty sure that this "work trip" along the Hudson was just an excuse to get her out of the office and distracted from everything on her mind; she'd also bet that Jane had had a hand in suggesting it to Phil. Either way, she was grateful to have so many people who cared about her.

 _Last time I checked, a change of scenery doesn't fix a broken heart._

She tried to ignore the voice in her head as they neared their first destination, the blur of the trees slowing and transforming into the stone wall that led to the gate-less entrance of the Lyndhurst estate. They pulled into the visitor parking lot as Phil went over the game plan for the day.

"So we're here a little early, I think we should do the tour of the house and then the event coordinator is meeting us to go over where events can be held, fees, accommodations and all that."

Seeing that Beth had no intention of responding and more than a slight nod, he walked into the visitors center and purchased them two tickets to the ten-thirty tour which was just about to start.

Beth walked along, listening to the tour guide drone on about the history of the fourteen thousand square foot mansion, last owned by Jay Gould. She looked at the Tiffany windows and Tiffany lamps, the portraits of Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette, and her shell feigned interest until the tour was over. When they met the events coordinator, Beth pulled out a small notepad from her purse jotting down details of the venue - how many guests it could accommodate, local vendors, local hotels, etc. Her mind drifted to what it must have been like to live here, in one of these grand estates. She was struggling to stay focused and when the conversation turned to weddings Beth turned and walked back towards the house, pretending to take some notes on the ground immediately surrounding the mansion; she couldn't think about a wedding right now.

"Beth? You in there?" Jarred from her thoughts as Phil put his hand on her shoulder. "I've been calling you. I hope you got everything we need because we have to be to Kykuit in five so we should go."

"Yeah, sorry. I was just taking some notes on the ground," she stuttered as she looked down at her notebook to see that she had scribbled 'Mrs. Darcy' underneath everything she had written about the house. Her face flushed and she quickly flipped the cover shut before Phil saw anything.

 _You're such an idiot, Beth._

She scolded herself as they got back in his Q7 and drove down the road to the visitor center for Kykuit to pick up their special guest passes to be able to drive themselves onto the property; most other visitors were only allowed access by purchasing a tour and taking the shuttle.

As they drove onto the massive almost four thousand acre estate, Beth couldn't help but feel something akin to awe at the beauty of the grounds as they drove up the drive. Originally part of the Rockefeller estate, the Kykuit house had been purchased almost three decades ago by a wealthy businessman when the Rockefeller heirs decided that no one wanted to live in the house anymore after Nelson died. They all had their own houses - either elsewhere on the property or in other locations. About ten years ago, the house had been opened up to visitors as long as the owner or his guests weren't going to be in residence, which was apparently not that often; it was only this past year that the owner had opened up the estate as a private function venue for select clients. They pulled up through the ornate gates, a large Greek-style fountain of Poseidon to their left, and the main house at the end of a Dutch elm-lined drive on their right.

Parking on the cul-de-sac at the end of the drive, they both got out of the car and looked around in astonishment at the understated grandeur of the mansion. Ivy climbing the classical facade, the landscaping was meticulously attended to. As they walked up to the front door, Beth noticed the two pieces of modern art on the front porch, probably put there by Nelson Rockefeller when he was still living here.

Phil open the aged copper screen door and knocked. After a few moments, they heard bustling when an older gentleman opened the door to greet them.

"Hello, how may I help you?"

"Hi, I'm Phil Gardiner from the Gardiner Group. We had an appointment for a private tour this afternoon to evaluate the estate as a potential event venue to offer to our clients."

The old man looked confused for a moment before ushering them inside and then asking them to wait a moment while he went to get the housekeeper.

 _Wow._

It was definitely a whole other world inside the house. Beth could just imagine what it must be like to live here, the grounds, the winding drive, the priceless pieces of art scattered inside and out. Phil and her both seemed to be stunned by the character of the house, as they stood silently taking in architecture and decor. Paintings by Picasso, statues from ancient Chinese dynasties - the entryway was littered with priceless art, she could only imagine what the rest of the house had to offer. The most incredible part of it all was that for all of the wealth and grandeur that exuded from every aspect of the house, it still felt like home, which was an odd contrast. Especially after coming from another large, equally grandiose estate, where Beth had felt like the visitor that she was; here though, she could see herself being able to live and call home - there was just something about it that tugged at her heart.

"Hello, sorry to keep you waiting," came a kind, elderly female voice from the hall.

 _Oh God, no. No no no no._

"I'm Mrs. Grace, it's lovely to meet you."


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Beth turned around and stared at Darcy's housekeeper, who had been so kind to her just a few weeks earlier. She felt the color drain from her face, as she quietly introduced herself, again, to the older woman. Thankfully, Mrs. Grace seemed to understand that she was with her boss and didn't mention their prior encounter, acting as though they were meeting for the first time.

Then it hit her. _Darcy owns this house. This is his home._ This was the family home that Mrs. Grace had referred to the last time, the one that he barely spends any time at.

 _This would have been your home, too._

Of course, she would feel at home in his family home. The thought made her sick and she felt her heart breaking all over again. Before her mind had a moment to adjust to that, another thought blossomed in her head.

"Is Mr. D—, ahh, the owner of the house here?" She asked anxiously, "We were told that he wouldn't be in residence today."

"Yes, well, there was a slight change of plans. The estate foundation should have emailed you this morning to reschedule the tour but now that you are here, I would hate for you to have to come back."

 _He was here._ This couldn't get any worse. They had to leave. If he saw that she was here, he'd think she was stalking him or something and he clearly wanted nothing else to do with her.

She quickly checked her phone and sure enough there was an email asking to reschedule the tour to next weekend.

"Great, that would be wond—"

"It's no problem. We can come back, that's really fine," Beth interrupted Phil, who gave her a questioning stare that she refused to meet, keeping her eyes trained behind Mrs. Grace, expecting Darcy to appear at any moment.

"Oh no, dear, it's ok. Mr. William is in residence this weekend but he's not here at the moment so I can give you an abbreviated tour of the house and gardens, if that would be sufficient," Mrs. Grace responded kindly and Beth sensed the hint of reassurance in her tone that suggested she knew that Beth didn't want to run into her boss right now.

As Mrs. Grace had promised, there was no sign of Darcy as she took them through the house. That didn't stop Beth's heart from beating out of her chest every time they moved on to a different room, expecting to walk in and find him sitting in a chair, or even worse, find him sitting and talking with another woman.

Once they entered a room, she became momentarily engrossed in the history that Mrs. Grace relayed to them, about the Rockefellers who had built the house and modified it over the generations. They toured the study and the women's sitting room - both directly inside the main entrance. The moved onto the 'music' room, which was really a living room with a piano. It had an oculus or opening in the ceiling that allowed one to look down into the room from the second floor.

"So this room is lovely for entertaining as it sits in the center of the house and has access to two other sitting rooms as well as directly to the outside patio and gardens," Mrs. Grace elaborated. "It is also Miss Georgiana's favorite room in the home - that is Mr. William's younger sister." Here she paused and pointed to a portrait hanging on the wall behind the piano of a very beautiful young lady with blond hair and the same chocolate eyes as her older brother.

"That was done a few years ago but Mr. William had it placed in this room for her because she is an avid piano player and will practice all hours of the day and night when they are in residence." She chuckled to herself, obviously very fond of the young girl - who was probably around Lydia's age, twenty or so, by now. "She's not too fond of the portrait anymore so, to retaliate, she keeps this photo of a young Mr. William on top of the piano for her to look at while she practices." She pulled the picture frame off of the Steinway baby grand piano to show them.

He looked so carefree, so unlike the Darcy she knew. The photo was obviously taken when he was much younger, before whatever happened in his past, before his father died; he only looked maybe twelve or thirteen in the picture.

"He was such a happy boy, always very kind and generous. I'm proud to say that those traits have not changed over the years regardless of the many successes or trials that he has faced," Mrs. Grace continued, drifting off into her memories of Darcy the boy.

"This is a great space, I agree. Especially for a cocktail hour, it can support a large bar and then if the event is outside, there is direct access, or if the weather is unfavorable, we could utilize the other rooms in the house," Phil agreed, thinking out loud.

Beth was more focused on the personal details that Mrs. Grace was revealing about Darcy and his family. She hadn't even taken out her notepad since they arrived; work was the last thing she could think about right now.

They moved on through the China room, where there were at least ten different sets of fine China on display, and into the original kitchen.

"Now this is purely for the visitors that come through. There is a commercial grade kitchen in the basement where the chef cooks when we stay for an extended period. However, for short trips like this, I do most of the cooking when needed."

 _Interesting. He wasn't planning on staying here long._

 _"_ Now, for events, you are welcome to bring in your own chef and catering team, or our resident chef can work with you to create a menu that we can make and serve, whichever you or your clients prefer."

Through the kitchen, they followed Mrs. Grace into the dining room. As she entered the room Beth found herself staring into Darcy's deep brown eyes. Thankfully, it was only at the portrait of him hanging on the wall behind the table, and not the real thing because even just the painting had shivers running down her spine.

"So as you can see that is the owner, Mr. William Darcy, and then on this side of the table, we have the portrait of his father who originally purchased the house from the Rockefellers." He had his father's eyes, that was for sure.

Mrs. Grace's voice faded into the background as her and Phil moved on to the neighboring sitting room that led out to the back patio. Beth, however, felt like her feet were rooted to the floor as she stared into Darcy's eyes, wondering if this was the last time she would see them.

Tearing her eyes from the painting, she quickly wiped the lone tear that trailed down her cheek as she walked into the sitting room in search of Phil and Mrs. Grace. The room was small in comparison to everything else that they had seen but it was still probably larger than her own living room, Beth thought. Straight ahead it looked like there was another living room with multiple couches, but no sign of Phil or Mrs. Grace. She looked to her right, looking out the large open glass doors out onto the back patio seeing no evidence of them outside either. The bright sunshine and promise of a spectacular view drew her out through the door to the edge of the patio, where she could absorb the unobstructed view out over hundreds of acres of land straight to the sparkling Hudson River; the scene was idyllic.

She closed her eyes and relaxed against the bannister breathing in deep the fresh, crisp summer air, feeling the cool breeze blowing against her back. For the first time in many weeks, she felt her shoulders drop as a sense of tranquility and peace came over her. _You belong here;_ that's what all her senses were telling her, but her mind knew that that was a near impossibility now.

 _"_ _Beth…"_ She heard her name like a whisper on the wind. A shiver went up her spine, but she knew it was just from the breeze. Blinking her eyes open, she drank her fill of the scenery with one last look, knowing that she really needed to find Phil and Mrs. Grace. Eyes downcast, she turned back around to face the house.

"Beth."


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

 _Oh God._ It wasn't the wind. It was him. Darcy was here, in front of her, not bothering to hide the concern in his eyes. She knew her eyes were wide and her mouth had fallen open, but she couldn't help but stare. Her mind torn between wanting to believe that he wasn't real and needing to believe that he was. He was dressed casually, like he had been when she'd run into him in the rose garden at the DeBourgh estate; the look turned her on beyond belief, mostly because she knew that not many people saw him so exposed.

"Mr. Darcy," came her breathy response. _Nice, way to sound desperate._ She was sure she looked just as pathetic too. She had on a pair of white skinny jeans with a loose summer blouse and a pair of Sperrys; her hair was up in a simple ponytail and she had no makeup on which made it clear that she hadn't been sleeping well, there had been bags underneath her eyes for days - not her most attractive look, that's for sure.

Her body was drawn to him, every muscle aching from being held captive in place, when all it wanted to do was run to him and kiss him; her breasts became heavy and her core tingled at the thought. Her heart screamed to apologize to him, to beg him to forgive her pride, to tell him that she loved him and did want to marry him.

In spite of all of that, some part of her kept her in place, kept her calm; she'd ruined her chance and she would respect his wish to not mention the proposal again.

"I'm so sorry," _If he only knew how much._ "I didn't realize you would be here. We scheduled the tour a while ago and I missed the email this morning saying that it needed to be rescheduled." Beth knew she was rambling but she couldn't stop. "Mrs. Grace was wonderful and said that it was ok for us to still stay for the tour because you weren't home but now that you're here, I'll just go find Phil and we'll go." She ducked her head, embarrassed to be in this situation - intruding in his home just days after she'd refused his offer of marriage and told him to leave her alone; she began to walk towards the side of the house, not trusting herself to stand there any longer.

 _How things had changed._ Then she had stormed off because she was overwhelmed with anger, now she walked away because she was overflowing with love.

"Beth, wait." He'd reached out and grasped her arm as she had walked by, just like the night they had first met at the Gala, after he had called her 'tolerable.' _How things had stayed the same;_ just that slight touch still had the ability to quicken her already racing heart, to ignite the flame of desire, burning even brighter now that she knew the passion that existed between the two of them.

He quickly let go as soon as she paused mid-step, turning back to face him.

She looked at him quizzically, waiting for him to say something else and noticing that he looked very odd. _Was he nervous? Was that even possible?_ He looked down at the ground, his fingers fidgeting with themselves before one hand came up to run his fingers through his beautifully disheveled hair. He wasn't even holding eye contact with her anymore. This was not like the Darcy she knew; this wasn't the cool, reserved, all-powerful man that she'd expected to see.

When he finally met her eyes again, she could see the uncertainty, the pain, but yet the small glimmer of hope in them. _Did he still love her?_

"There's no need to apologize," he managed to begin. "Of course you are always welcome here."

"I, umm, thank you," she replied, not sure where this was going but knowing that the longer she stayed, the more painful it would be when she left.

"I didn't expect to be back to early, but my sister was done with class early today so we made it up here in good time." She wasn't sure why he felt like he had to justify his coming back early to his own home to her but she couldn't find the words to question him. "Georgie is around here somewhere. Would you like to meet her?"

This was so unlike Darcy, asking her to do things instead of just telling her. And then the way he was looking at her with such hope in his eyes made it impossible for her to say no, not that she wanted to say no, but she knew it would have been the smarter answer to give.

"I mean, of course. I'd love to meet her." She gave him a small smile just as they both heard a conversation approaching them from the side of the house. Beth turned her head just has Mrs. Grace, Phil, and Georgiana appeared.

"Oh, Mr. William, there you are!" exclaimed Mrs. Grace. "We've been looking all over. I didn't realize you would be back so soon or I would have rescheduled their tour."

"Oh, please, Mrs. Grace," Georgiana interjected, "I've been dying to meet Miss Bennet!" With a tremulous smile, the beautiful young girl came over to her and extended her hand. "I'm Georgiana, but you can call me Georgie if you want. It's so nice to meet you. My brother has told me so many good things."

"He has?" Beth couldn't stop the question from coming out or hide the surprise in her tone. She recovered very quickly with a smile and a laugh and continued, "It's lovely to meet you. I've heard nothing but good things about you as well and please, you can call me Beth." She smiled at Georgie again, struck by how genuinely kind and innocent the girl seemed for being in her early twenties; her emotions, the excitement of meeting her and Phil, her love for her brother, her happiness, were written clear as day on her face; she had no mask, no shield - it was so completely opposite of her brother that if they didn't look so similar, Beth would have struggled to believe that they were related.

Mr. Darcy leaned over to whisper something to Mrs. Grace as Beth glanced at Phil briefly. The surprise on realizing that Beth knew the owner of the house, hadn't quite disappeared from his face as she gave him an apologetic smile.

"Would you like to stay for lunch?" Darcy asked. Even though she knew the question was meant for her, he looked at Phil as he asked, probably afraid she would come up with an excuse for them to leave again. "The chef is just making something simple, but it would give you the opportunity to taste something of his in case you want to use him for an event here in the future. I also would like to speak to you about PR for Fitz Corp; I think the current firm that we are using could be doing a better job and I'd appreciate your opinion."

 _Smooth._ Leave it to Darcy to legitimize the request with a business opportunity.

"I, ahh, of course. That would be excellent. Thank you very much," Phil stuttered his response, stunned by the opportunity to have Fitz Corp as a prospective client.

"Awesome! But please don't let there be too much work talk while we eat," Georgiana pleaded with her brother as she linked her arm through Beth's. "He's so boring when he talks about work," she whispered to Beth as they walked towards the house.

"I know what you mean, he always seems so cool and collected to me," Beth laughed and shot Darcy a glance, knowing that he was listening to their conversation. His eyes glared at her, knowing that she was purposely teasing him, having experienced him at his most passionate. "Don't worry, we can always just talk among ourselves if they don't seem too entertaining," she finished with a wink to Georgiana.

As they walked into the dining room, Beth felt her phone buzzing through her purse. She quickly pulled it out and saw that Jane was calling - probably just to check in and see how the day was going. She silenced the call and put her phone back as they sat down at the table - Phil and Darcy at either end, Georgiana on one side and Beth on the other.

"Have you had a lot of interest in the house being used for an event venue?" Phil asked Darcy.

"Not that much," he caught Beth's eye for a moment before continuing, "I've actually only offered it to a very select number of firms, mostly good friends of the family, just to see how it goes. We've obviously held business functions here for Fitz over the years and a few special occasions for friends, but I only reached out a few months ago with the offer to open it up more publicly."

His look made her think that she had something to do with his decision to allow only certain companies - hers being one of them, into his home. Her gaze rested on him, waiting for him to look her way again when her phone began to buzz with an incoming call. _Jane, again._ She silenced the call but when she opened her phone to put it on 'Do Not Disturb,' she saw that Jane had tried to call her seven times in the past ten minutes and had sent her one text message.

 _It's an emergency._

 _What?_ Her heart began to race as she set her napkin on the table.

"I'm s-sorry. I just need to make a phone call, if you will excuse me," she stuttered as she stood up from the table, meeting Darcy's concerned gaze for a brief second before she walked out of the room and back out onto the patio.

Her hands shook as she tapped the screen to call Jane back, hoping that Darcy couldn't see her out of the dining room windows.

"Beth, thank God," Jane answered, her voice distraught and unsteady.

"Jane, what's going on? Is everyone ok?"

"No, no." Beth could hear that her sister was crying now, but trying to keep her voice calm so she could still relay the information to her. "It's Lydia. She's gone. She ran away."


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39

"What?! What do you mean she ran away? Why? Where did she go?" She demanded, completely confused as to how such a thing could happen.

"It's not just that she ran away. She's pregnant, Beth; and George is the father."

"Oh my God, not George." _That fucking asshole._ Beth felt the blood rush from head and she grabbed ahold of the bannister to steady herself, lowering herself to the ground to sit against the patio railing. "Does mom know? Where is she going?"

"I don't know where she is going. She sent me an email fifteen minutes ago, telling me that she is pregnant and going to either convince George to marry her or she is going to run away. I think Kat and I are the only ones who know."

"God, Lydia. How did this happen?"

"I'm not completely sure." Beth heard her sister pause to blow her nose; she'd never seen Jane so upset. "M-mom is going to be devastated. I called Kat to see if she knew anything; all she could tell me is that Lydia has been sneaking out at night a lot lately to see George and then coming back home before dawn. How could she do this, Beth?"

"Because she doesn't think about anyone but herself. Is George going to marry her?" _Dumb question._ Beth already knew the answer to that, even if Jane didn't, " I can't see that happening. She knows nothing about him or what he's done."

There was no way George would marry Lydia; she had no way of getting him the job or career that he was after.

"Kat said she's known that she was pregnant for several days now and has been basically trying to convince George to marry her because she thought that's what he wanted, but he kept putting her off. So, now she's gone to see him and basically threaten him that either he marries her or she will run away and he will be blamed for it."

 _He won't give a shit what she does, as long as it doesn't interfere with his plans - which having a baby definitely would._

"Beth, how are we going to tell mom? I don't know how she'll survive if Lydia runs away." Jane was sobbing now and Beth couldn't wipe her tears away fast enough.

"I'll think of something, just don't say anything. I-I'm going to head home now and we'll figure something out ok?" She tried to sound reassuring, but knew that it wasn't much use.

Jane agreed and hung up. As soon as she set the phone down, a sob involuntarily broke free of her lips as she tried to stifle her cries with her arm. _You need to pull yourself together and get home._ Even though the tears kept falling she wiped off her face just in time to see Darcy's jean-clad legs in front of her before his strong arms were hauling her up against him and holding her to him.

"Beth. What's wrong?" He held her as she tried to calm herself down. Explaining in disjointed phrases what had happened.

"Lydia is pregnant." _Sob._ "It's George." _Sob._ "W-won't m-marry her." _Sob._ "My m-mom.." _Sob._

He got the gist of the situation and she felt his muscles clench at the mention of George's name. He held her, supported her, for a minute as she forced her tears at bay. His presence, his strength and decisiveness, _God, how she could use that now._

"I-I need t-to go h-home. N-now." She pulled herself back from his embrace as much as he would let her. _Be strong. You have to do this on your own; he's not yours to use._

His arms finally released her to wipe the remaining tears from her eyes; eyes that looked up at him guiltily.

"If only…" she began, shaking and ducking her head before she began to cry again.

 _If only I had listened to you at the Ball, none of this would have happened to Lydia._

"This is not your fault. Do you hear me? George is a low-life, piece of shit. Nothing you did caused this." She felt his fingers underneath her chin, lifting her gaze to his. His hard stare was unwavering as it bore into her, destroying the guilt that had started to consume her.

She gave a quick nod and stepped away from him.

"I have to go home. I have to find away to tell my mother and the rest of my family. We need to figure out how to find her."

Darcy's jaw clenched. "Of course." His hands released her and she immediately felt the loss of support.

Numbly she walked back inside the house, Darcy trailing behind her, hoping she could hold it together in front of his sister. As they re-entered the room, Beth saw the concerned and questioning stares from Phil and Georgiana.

"Phil, I'm sorry. T-there's been a small family emergency. I need to get back home." Her voice only shook a little as Phil's eyes widened in shock and he set down his fork and stood up immediately.

"Of course. Of course." He came over to her a put a supporting hand on her shoulder. "Thank you both so much for you hospitality and for lunch, it was delicious. Georgiana, it was a pleasure talking with you; good luck at school. Darcy, we'll be in touch." He reached out to shake Darcy's hand.

Georgiana had stood up at Beth's announcement and now walked over to her and enveloped her in an unexpected hug.

"It was wonderful to meet you, Beth. I hope everything is ok and that we'll get to see each other again soon." Beth could have cried at the sincere kindness that emanated from her. She hugged Georgie back and biting her own lip in an effort to avoid tears. Even after only meeting her less than an hour ago, Beth knew that she could have become closer to this girl than all of her other sisters; well, besides Jane of course; she instinctively felt a bond between them, a bond that would eventually wither and disappear as she had effectively severed her future with Darcy. _Don't think about that now. Think about Lydia. Think about Jane._

 _Focus._

"Thank you," she responded quietly, pulling herself out of Georgie's embrace and turning to Darcy.

"Mr. Darcy. I'm sorry we have to leave so abruptly. You have a beautiful home, and an even more beautiful sister. I can see why you treasure her so much." She gave him a small smile.

Even though he looked like he was about to say something back to her, she was reminded of the urgency of her situation when her phone began to buzz again. She broke from his stare and answered the call from her dad as her and Phil were escorted out by Darcy and Georgiana.

"Dad?"

"Beth, have you talked to Jane?" He sounded distraught. _Her parents knew._

"Yes. I'm on my way home now. Does mom know?" As if in answer to her question she heard a loud wailing sob in the background.

"Yes. She's hysterical. What was Lydia thinking? Did you even know she was seeing this George person? Your mother claims she had no idea."

"I don't know. She didn't say anything to me. I'm so sorry dad—" she broke off as she began to cry again. Phil took the phone from her as they reached the car and talked to John as Darcy helped Beth into the car.

"What do you need me to do, John? Does anyone have any idea where he would take her or where they would go?" Phil waved at Darcy and got in the car, focused on his conversation.

Beth looked out the window and watched Darcy as he listened to what Phil was saying. When Phil asked her dad those questions, she saw Darcy's face harden as he turned and stalked back into the house, pulling out his cell phone just as the door closed behind him. Phil got in the car and drove them back to the city as fast as possible.


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40

"Hello? Jane?" Beth called as she walked into her parents home, Phil not far behind her. "Dad?"

Beth heard her mother's cries coming from upstairs and she was about to go up the stairs when Jane appeared in the hall from the kitchen.

"Beth! Thank God you are here," she said as she walked toward her sister to give her a hug.

Jane's eyes were red and swollen from crying and Beth was pretty sure that her's were not much different. As she embraced her sister, she saw Charles coming out of the kitchen holding two cups of tea. She was surprised to see him and when her body stilled and pulled back, Jane turned to look at Charles and then sheepishly back to Beth.

"He was at the apartment when I got Lydia's message. He refused to leave me when I was so upset," she explained to Beth as a blush crept onto her face. "And then when dad called me that mom was beside herself, he brought me home. We were just making some tea to bring up to mom. She won't stop crying and she keeps saying that she won't eat until we find Lydia."

 _Of course she won't._ Beth couldn't help but roll her eyes, which earned her a hard stare from Jane. Of course their mom was upset, her daughter was pregnant and missing but her pessimistic self couldn't help from wondering how much of her distress was caused by the thought of the gossip that would ignite once word got out and what she was going to have to tell her 'friends.'

"She's a mess, Beth. Take it easy on her," Jane said as she moved past her to give Phil a hug. "Thank you for coming; I know dad could use your help."

Beth blushed as she said hello to Charles, unable to give him a hug since he was holding the tea cups. _I wonder how much Darcy has told him. What if he told him everything that we did?_ That would be awkward. _What if he told him how I refused him?_ God, that would be so much worse. She shuddered and moved towards the stairs, eager to get into a larger crowd of people; even if that crowd included her hysterical mother.

They entered the sitting room that adjoined her parent's bedroom. Her mother was laying on the chaise, arm draped over her face wailing _'Why?!'_ over and over again. Her father was sitting in the chair next to the fireplace with his head in his hands, clearly distraught and at a loss with how to console his wife.

"Hey, dad," Beth said as she moved toward him to give him a hug.

"Oh Bethy, what has your sister done?" He hugged her back with tears in his eyes.

"Beethhh!" Her mom cried her name. She let go of her dad and knelt down beside her mother. "Where is she, Beth? Where is my darling little girl? Where is she?"

She grabbed her mom's hands and whispered, "Shh, we're going to find her. Uncle Phil is here to help dad. We're going to find her, mom. It's going to be ok." She felt a tear slip loose, and in spite of her thoughts only moments ago, she saw her mother's completely genuine dismay.

Jane came over to see if her mom would drink a cup of tea, allowing Beth to stand and join her father, Phil, and Charles.

"Do you have any idea where they would have gone?" Phil asked.

"No. She didn't say anything specific. She just said that they are running away."

"Have you called the police?"

"Yes, but it hasn't been forty-eight hours so they won't file a missing persons report yet."

"Can't you track her phone and see where it is?" Jane suggested, still sitting on the floor by her mom.

"The police already suggested that but she disabled the 'Find My iPhone' feature. We also tried using Kat's phone to locate her through the 'Find My Friends', but she disabled that too," her father replied defeatedly.

"Charles, you knew George, do you have any idea where they would go?" Beth asked him, grasping at straws.

"I don't. I wish I did. He lived with Darcy and his father when I knew him but that was a long time ago. As far as I knew that was the only house he ever stayed at but after Robert passed away, everything went to Darcy and George left. I don't even know where George was staying in the city because he certainly wasn't staying with Darcy."

"Would he try to go to one of Darcy's other houses?" she continued.

"I don't know. The only other one that they really stayed at sometimes when they were younger, aside from the Rockefeller house on the Hudson, was a house in Newport, Rhode Island," Charles look distressed and lowered his voice as he continued with his thought, "But I just don't see him going there. He'd most likely stay with friends and if I had to be honest, I would look for places that Lydia might go because I can't see George staying with her. He's been in the country for almost two months now; the first month he spent trying to find Darcy and then when Darcy turned down his job request, he went looking for Georgiana to try to blackmail Darcy into giving him a job," he said harshly, clearly detested by the lengths that man would go to get what he wants.

"You don't think he'll hurt her do you?" Beth asked him quietly, suddenly afraid that George might do something reckless to get rid of the problem.

"Oh no," Charles said reassuringly, "I don't think he's capable of that. More likely he will just try to get her away from her family and friends and those who could pressure him into marrying her, which would mean losing his one potential tool for leverage against Darcy."

"I don't think it can hurt to check in Rhode Island, though," Phil interjected.

"No, it can't."

"Who was the friend he was staying with in the city? We met him. Maybe Kat remembers. He could have taken her to his friend's apartment or another residence that he owns." Before anyone could respond, Beth turned toward Jane and asked, "Jane, can you go ask Kat if she remembers George's friend's name from the day we were at Saks?"

"Of course." Jane got up and went to go find Kat who had been holed up in her room. She came back a minute later with the name: _Ben Cole._

"I don't know where he lives in the city, but I think his parents have a large house in the Hamptons," Charles said.

"Why don't I check there, John?" Phil asked. "You stay here with Irene in case she contacts you again or comes home."

"No, I can't. I have to go with you," her father shook his head vigorously, insisting that he be a part of the search. "Beth and Jane can stay here with Irene and Kat. Right, Beth?"

"Of course dad, whatever you need."

Her father and Phil decided they would leave tomorrow morning, see if they could find Ben Cole in the city and if not head out to the Hamptons by noon. Beth and Jane chose to stay the night, too exhausted to think about going home.

In spite of everything that was going on, when Charles gave Jane a kiss before leaving for the night, it brought a smile to her face and Beth felt her heart clench, wishing she had Darcy to lean on and comfort her right now.

As her and Jane got into the guest bed that night, Beth noticed that her sister seemed unusually preoccupied.

"Is everything ok?" she asked. "I mean besides the Lydia stuff."

"Yeah, I just…" she broke off as if she was debating whether to tell Beth or not. "You can't say anything, which I know you won't, but Charles asked me to marry him."

"What?! Jane, that's amazing!"

"I know, I just feel like I shouldn't be happy right now because of Lydia. It just happened earlier today but then dad called so I told Charles that we can't tell anyone right now. Not until we find Lydia."

"Oh my God. He proposed today? Where's the ring?"

"He didn't get one yet," she laughed to herself, "He was going to wait but when he was over earlier, he said that he just knew he had to do it then; that he couldn't go another day without knowing that we would spend the rest of our lives together. So it was completely unplanned. It was perfect." Jane was smiling to herself as she seemed to reliving the moment.

"Oh my god! That's amazing. I'm so happy for you." Beth hugged her sister, letting happy tears stream down her face.

They laughed together before settling in to go to sleep. They had a long day ahead. As Beth wiped the tears from her face, she tried to keep telling herself that they were happy tears for Jane's engagement, not sad tears for Darcy's absence


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41

The following day seemed to pass in slow motion. Beth and Jane spent the entire day with their mother, trying to console and calm her. They would succeed, until something reminded her of 'her baby, Lydia,' at which point she would burst into hysterics again.

First, it was when Jane begged her to eat something for breakfast, offering to make her eggs or toast or even a bowl of oatmeal; well, oatmeal is what Lydia ate for breakfast most days. Then, Jane brought her a cup of chamomile tea to drink; it was in a mug that their mother had bought when her and Lydia had been shopping together.

Beth would have thought the recollections as ridiculous as the emotional outburst they elicited, if she hadn't paused in the hallway where Darcy had told her that he wanted her to stay away from him. Immobile, she stood reliving their encounter, seeing it from a whole new perspective; seeing him as a man so overwhelmed and confused by his intense attraction to her that it made him lose control. She didn't even feel the tears form in her eyes and begin to roll down her cheeks until Kat jarred her from her reverie.

"Beth, are you ok?"

"Y-yeah. Just worried about Lydia is all," she responded as she used her sleeve to brush the tears from her cheeks.

"M-me too." Beth hugged her younger sister as she began to cry. Aside from their mother, Kat had taken Lydia's disappearance the hardest since they were the two closest in age, and closest to each other. Since they'd found out that Lydia had left, Kat had kept herself locked herself in her room, coming out for food and to see if they had heard anything from Phil or their dad yet.

"It's ok. Dad's going to find her," she said trying to convince both of them. Kat just nodded and went back upstairs to her room.

Beth sat down on one of the bar stools in the kitchen and drank her tea in silence, trying to think of any other way to locate Lydia. She was stirred from her thoughts by the sound of Jane's determined footsteps approaching the kitchen.

"What's up?"

"Dad just called, Ben's roommate said that he saw Ben leave with George and some girl this morning. He thinks that they were headed out to the Hamptons," Jane couldn't conceal the hope that escaped in her voice.

"Thank God." Beth hugged her sister with a huge sigh of relief. They hadn't found her yet, but at least they had a lead. "Have you heard from Charles?" She thought he would have been over to their house by now.

"Yes, he was with dad and Phil this morning actually but he's on his way here now that they are headed to the Hamptons," Jane answered as she opened the fridge to find something to eat. "Aside from the way it ended, how did your trip go yesterday?"

Beth shuddered at the question, the pain of missing Darcy shooting through her. Thankfully, Jane was still looking away and didn't see her reaction.

"It was ok." _Not convincing._

"What happened?" Jane asked as she closed the fridge and came over to sit next to her, clearly picking up that something aside from Lydia's travesty had occurred.

"Well, Darcy owns the Rockefeller estate that we went to."

"You're kidding?" Jane gasped. "Was he there?"

"Well, not at first, so it was ok; but then he came home with his sister."

"What did he say? What did you do?"

"Well, we had an awkward conversation for about a minute while we were alone. It was like we both wanted to say something about what had happened between us except completely different words came out instead," Beth laughed at how stupid it sounded. "But then, the housekeeper and Phil had come back looking for me so we were interrupted. He had brought it sister home with him so he introduced me to her and then asked if we wanted to stay for lunch. I, obviously, tried to leave and not impose, but he insisted and basically bribed Phil, who hardly needed bribing. So we sat down to lunch but that was when I saw your text."

"Oh my gosh! That's crazy. Do you think he still has feelings for you? Did he act like he did? What was his sister like?"

"I don't know. All I know is that in his letter he said he wanted to forget that he had ever proposed to me and after everything, I want to respect that." _No matter how much she tried to read into every word or movement that he felt otherwise._ "His sister was awesome though - so sweet. She seemed younger than her age though, like very innocent, compared to Lydia or Kat but maybe that's a good thing given the current situation. He apparently told her a lot about me and she seemed like she really wanted to get to know me but then the afternoon got cut short." Beth took the last sip of her tea and looked at Jane. "I can see why Darcy is so protective of her and how George was able to take advantage of her feelings for him. God, I can't believe him. What an ass," Beth shook her head in disgust, still shocked at how willing she had been to believe his charm and sob story.

"Yeah, he seems to know just how to take advantage of people," Jane agreed. "I'm glad you liked her. Do you think there is any chance you will be able to see her again?"

"I don't know. Even if Darcy wasn't there, the thought of being so close to him but still so far away…" she trailed off, "I just don't think I can handle that right now."

"I'm sorry, Beth." The sadness in Jane's eyes almost made her start crying again; she quickly stood up, trying to physically shake off the thoughts of Darcy that seemed ever presents.

"You would love her though; she's perfect, just like you," Beth teased as she put her cup in the sink, trying to steer their conversation towards a lighter note.

Jane rolled her eyes at her sister, about to respond when the doorbell rang. Beth saw her eyes light up with hope and excitement, knowing that it was probably Charles at the door. She gave her a sheepish smile and rushed out of the kitchen to let him in.

Beth gave them a minute alone in the hall before following her sister out to see if Charles could give them any more details about finding Lydia.

"Hey, Charles," Beth said awkwardly, still unsure how much he knew about her relationship with Darcy. "So what happened this morning? Was Ben sure that they went to the Hamptons?"

"Well he wasn't sure if that was their final destination, but I guess George was there this morning, packing a bag, when Lydia showed up. Ben seemed to think that George hadn't planned on Lydia being there, he looked like he was just packing an overnight bag and then was surprised by Lydia's arrival," Charles revealed. "Your dad and I think that George probably planned on disappearing before Lydia or her family could force him into marrying her."

"What a lowlife," Beth said in disgust.

"Yeah. So, when she showed up at their place, it took him by surprise, but he told her that they would go visit some people in the Hamptons for a few days. Maybe he didn't want to create a scene? Or he changed his mind? We're not sure," he continued. "I have a feeling he's going to take her to the Hamptons, get her settled, and then disappear. By the time she realizes he left her and contacts either friends or family to come and get her, he will be long gone."

"How terrible," Jane gasped. "Poor Lydia, she will be heartbroken."

"Well, I think your dad and Phil will find them both before it gets to that point. Hopefully they can resolve everything amicably."

"Did they just leave for the Hamptons?" Beth asked.

"Oh no, they left Ben's place by nine-thirty this morning. I had to take care of a couple things for a friend before I could get over here. So, they've definitely made it there by now. Hopefully, they've found her."

"Oh, I see." _Darcy._

"I know your dad only wants to call once everything has been resolved, he doesn't want to take your mom on an emotional rollercoaster with every step." Jane's concern for their mother washed over her face and seeing it, Charles gave her a smile as he gave her hand a comforting squeeze.

Beth nodded her head in agreement; it was probably for the best that her mom only be updated once Lydia was found.

Suddenly, a piercing scream came from the second floor.

"JANE! BETH!" their names followed the scream that came from their mother and they both rushed up the stairs, fearing the worst.

Hi everyone! Thanks for reading so far. I just wanted to say how much I appreciate all of the comments, compliments, and critiques - it makes all of the time and effort spent worth it. So, if you are enjoying the story, let me know! It really makes my day :)

Also, if you are sending a comment, would you give me your opinion whether you think the story would be worth $4.99? (Don't worry, I'm not going to make you pay for it!)


	42. Chapter 42

"Mom! What happened? Are you ok?" Jane yelled as they ran down the hall into their mother's room.

She was no longer laying down, but standing in the middle of the room, her phone in her hand with the biggest smile on her face.

Jane rushed over to her, "Mom, sit. What happened? What's wrong?"

"Sit! Why would I sit! I want to jump and dance for joy!" Their mom grabbed Jane's hands in excitement, "I've just heard from your father."

"Did they find Lydia?" Beth interjected, wishing her mom would stop drawing it out and just tell them what happened.

"Yes!"

"Oh, thank God!" Jane exclaimed in relief and hugged her mom.

"Beth, go get Mary and Kat, I want to tell them the good news!"

Beth returned with her younger sisters a moment later.

"So when will she be home? What about George? What's going to happen with the baby?" Beth asked now that the rest of the family was present.

"Girls, your father and Uncle Phil have found your sister," her mother began, completely ignoring her questions. "But that's not the best part," she squealed with glee, "Lydia and George are getting married!"

"What?" "When?" Jane and Beth asked simultaneously.

"Right now! Of course we will have to look into throwing them some sort of party when they return, but your father called and they were at the courthouse as we spoke signing their marriage certificate! Isn't this wonderful?!" her mother was in heaven. "Just think, my darling little Lydia, a married woman with a baby on the way. Yes, we will definitely have to have something here. Now, who should I call first…" she trailed off in thoughts to herself, leaving the remaining Bennet sisters staring blankly at each other.

Charles knocked on the door, wondering if everything was ok and Jane left to share the news with him.

All Beth could do was watch as Kat and her mother began to excited discuss parties and weddings, letting their conversation turn into white noise behind her thoughts.

 _Lydia is marrying George._

What is she thinking? She probably doesn't even know all of the things that he has done. _How did they even get him to agree to it?_ It was a terrible thought, but knowing what she now knew about George and his situation and how he was definitely trying to escape from any commitment to Lydia, there was no way she would believe that he wanted to marry her.

Did her dad offer him a place at the firm? _No, that can't be it; it's basically Charles' firm now and there's no way that Charles would agree to hire George, even ignoring the fact that he has absolutely no training in the law field._

Did he pay him off? George seemed too smart, too conniving to be bribed into doing something just for a singular monetary benefit. That's the whole reason he was back in the US - he wants a position to make even more money that what Darcy offered him as allowance; there is no way he would be happy with whatever sum of money her dad could offer him.

 _Was it Phil?_

Did Phil and her dad offer to pay him? Or worse, did Phil offer him a position at the Gardiner Group? It was the only thing that made sense. It was a very large, successful PR company and Phil was the CEO, he could hire whomever he wants. Maybe since Darcy obviously was unwilling to hire him, George figured a position at Gardiner would be the best that he could swindle. _What a slimy piece of shit._

 _"_ _Beth!"_ her mother practically yelled in her face as she grabbed her shoulder and shook her. "What's wrong?"

"Sorry, I was just thinking."

"I see. Well you don't look too happy for your sister," her mother observed, "There's no reason to be upset, I'm sure someone will want to marry you eventually. Even thought Lydia is younger than you and getting married first, there's nothing to be ashamed of; you are very successful." That last statement definitely sounded like an afterthought.

"Thanks, mom," Beth said, trying so hard not to roll her eyes. "Don't worry, I'm very happy for Lydia, I've just been so concerned that's all. Did dad say how they got George to change his mind?"

"Of course not! You know how indecisive men are. I'm sure George _wanted_ to marry Lydia the entire time; he probably just had some cold feet, especially with the thought of a baby on the way," her mother reasoned, her tone indicating that she would never believe that George had to be convinced to marry her ' _darling Lydia.'_

"I see," Beth responded tightly, knowing Jane would never forgive her if she picked an argument with her mom right now. "When are they going to be back?"

"Well, they were going to finish up at the courthouse and then your father said he hoped to be back in time for a late dinner. Lydia just texted me though from his phone and said that she is dying to see everyone as a married woman; she is very excited to come home and celebrate with all of us and her new husband tonight so don't think about leaving before she gets here," Irene warned her lightly.

THANK YOU so much to everyone who has sent me reviews today. You seriously have no idea how much they mean to me. I love all of your opinions/perspectives on the story and characters. A special mention to several of you who were surprised by Beth/Jane still being virgins at 30. It's funny because when I thought about their characters, especially Beth, I saw her as being SO super focused on her personal and professional goals that she didn't want to take time to let men or sexual desires distract her and not as a traditional sex-waits-until-marriage type of woman. For me, her standards were just so high that no one ever met them until Darcy. Anyway, I really appreciate hearing your feedback because that perspective hadn't occurred to me :)

A couple of other exciting things... :) So I did upload the entire book - including an excerpt of the sequel that will continue Beth and Darcy's relationship struggle (yay for all those who've requested to read more original work from me!) to Amazon for Kindle (they also have an app for iPhone...still trying to figure out iBooks). It's available for $4.99 (thanks for the vote of confidence!). Don't worry! I will continue to post the rest of novel here - there are 6 more chapters left! I'm hoping to be able to put up 1/day and then the excerpt from the second book in the series - Second Chances! :) You are welcome to buy the book if you just can't wait but I WILL be posting everything here. In the meantime, after the 4 months that it's taken me to finish this baby, if you have a few minutes to review the book on Amazon (You don't have to purchase it to review it) it would mean the WORLD! Thank you again! xx

Here's a link to the amazon page: dp/B01LVWZB56#nav-subnav


	43. Chapter 43

An hour and a half later, the search party, along with their quarry walked through the front door. Lydia walking arm-in-arm with George, a giant, smug smile on her face dying to tell her mother and sister all about their " _romantic elopement_." Her father and Phil looked exhausted and grim from the stress and exertion of the day.

The first thing Beth noticed was that Lydia was in a white dress and heels; clearly, she had made them stop somewhere for her to buy clothes and change in order to make her post-wedding homecoming look more official. Beth forced herself to not roll her eyes and scoff at the ridiculousness of her younger sister - always so concerned with appearances.

"Lydia, my darling!" Irene exclaimed as she rushed to hug her daughter and her new son-in-law. "And you, George, such a handsome son-in-law I have! Just wonderful!"

"Oh, mom! Isn't this a wonderful surprise! Do I look any different now that I'm a married woman?" Lydia semi-joked to their mom, making sure the rest of her sisters heard her. "Am I not your favorite daughter now?"

 _You've got to be kidding me._ That time she did roll her eyes, not caring who saw.

"Of course you are, my darling! I'm so happy for you and George! I want to hear all about it - every detail!"

"Of course. Why don't we sit in the living room and I'll tell you all about the day. Then I can give my sisters a heads up on what being married feels like." She winked at Jane with that last snide comment and Beth almost walked out of the house, unable to take her sister's immaturity. Jane grabbed her elbow, knowing that she was on the verge of going off on their sister and guided her into the living room.

Meanwhile, George just stood there silently, refusing to meet Beth's eyes as she took a good look at him. He looked semi-happy and semi-annoyed - probably at the prospect of being married to her obnoxious sister for the rest of his life.

"Ooo!" Mrs. Bennet squealed, grabbing ahold of Lydia's arm as they sat down on the couch together, "I just can't believe I have a daughter married, and just think, one of the youngest ones at that. Just wait until Mrs. Lucas hears!"

Lydia gave her a smug smile, "Yes, isn't it just wonderful mom! Now let me share our story so you can tell everyone."

 _These two are like two peas of a pod._ Beth rolled her eyes. If Jane wasn't holding her here, she would have found a reason to leave now that she knew Lydia was safe.

"So, my darling _husband_ and I had been forced to meet in secret these past few weeks. I know you were just trying to be protective, mom, but when two people are just so in love, like we are, it's impossible to keep us apart," Lydia paused to look adoringly at George, who gave her a small smile at the clearly exaggerated state of their relationship.

"So, when we found out that we were going to have a baby, George asked me to run away with him, not wanting to upset our families that we hadn't been married first." That statement had George raising his eyebrows slightly at his new wife. _They clearly hadn't rehearsed their story yet._ "I agreed; I would go anywhere for my dear George. And, you know that I've always wanted a romantic elopement!"

"No you didn't," Kat mumbled from the armchair, earning her a death stare from Lydia. It was ok though, they all knew it was a blatant lie; it all was. Lydia had always wanted the largest, showiest wedding possible. The only person she was fooling was herself and their mom.

"Oh, how romantic!" Irene exclaimed, trying to diffuse the tension between the two younger girls.

"It really was, mom. So, as you know, we left yesterday. George had to pack some of his things and arrange some details with the friend he was staying with so we didn't get on the road until today and decided to head out to the Hamptons to get married and that's when dad and Uncle Phil found us, right before the ceremony!"

"Oh, how wonderful! I wish I could have been there," her mother extorted. "Well, we will just have to have another celebration here. Just think, my first daughter married - what a party that will be!"

"Oh, mother, I know how _you_ love those grand affairs," Lydia began, "but I'm a married woman now, and I have to do what's best for my husband so we actually won't be in town for very much longer."

 _The amount of bullshit coming out of her sister's mouth was astounding._ Beth just sat there in shock, knowing that not one thing that Lydia had said was true. It was probably a good thing she couldn't think of anything to say, because if she had, it wouldn't have been very nice.

" _What?!"_ her mother exclaimed, her excitement transforming into distress, "What do you mean you won't be in town?"

"Well, my darling George, has just been offered a very good, highly sought-after job in Chicago so we are flying out there in two days. We've already booked our flights," Lydia explained.

"Where are you working?" Beth finally interjected, suspicious at what job he would have taken knowing that he had his sights on a management position at Fitz.

"I was offered the Vice President of Operations position at FWD & Co, in Chicago. It's a national audit and consulting firm, so it's an ideal opportunity for me," George answered, still unable to look her in the eyes the whole time he responded.

 _Interesting._ Well, she at least knew that Phil hadn't offered him a job at Gardiner but that only made his agreeing to marry Lydia all the more confusing. _Maybe he had accepted a simple bribe._

"Yes, isn't that wonderful! I love Chicago. Obviously, that means I'll have to drop out of school here but these are the kinds of sacrifices you have to make when you get married and have a family," Lydia added, looking poignantly at Jane and Beth.

"So you're leaving in two days? Will you be back sometime soon that we can have a party?" Their mother wasn't going to let it go.

"Oh, no. I don't think so. My darling George starts his job immediately, so we need to move and get settled; and then with the baby, I just don't want to be traveling too much and putting my health at risk. You are all welcome to visit me once we have our house situated. Maybe George will have some eligible, single men that I can introduce to my sisters! As a married woman, I just feel like it's my duty now to help you guys find marital happiness like I have."

Beth turned to Jane with a stare that said, _I'm going to strangle her._

"I'm sure we would love to come visit you," Jane said placatingly.

"Yes, well we should get going. I'll be back over tomorrow mom to pack up my stuff but we are staying at the Plaza tonight since it is our wedding night." Lydia batted her eyes at George and Beth almost vomited.

"Oh, so soon?" This was clearly not how Mrs. Bennet envisioned the evening going. "Ok, well of course we will come out to see you, dear. If you change your mind, your father and I would love to throw you a reception."

As she hugged her daughter, Beth saw her father's jaw set in a firm line as though he was not in agreement with what his wife had just offered but because Lydia had refused, he was able to not make a scene. _Interesting._ Even though what Lydia had done was reckless and stupid, she would have thought her father would show a little sign of happiness now that Lydia was safely found and 'happily' married.

Lydia and George made their rounds to the rest of the family, eagerly awaiting and accepting all the congratulations and best wishes that she could extract from her sisters.

As Lydia turned to Beth, she forced a smile onto her face and hugged her little sister.

"Congratulations, Lyds. I wish you both much happiness," she ground out, "I'm not sure I'll be here tomorrow so safe travels. Good luck with your new job, George." _Ugh, that was painful._

"Thank you," George mumbled as he quickly moved on to shake hands with a stiff Charles.

"Oh thank you, Beth! I can't tell you how wonderful it is to be married. I promise I'm going to be on the lookout for some single coworkers that we can introduce you to. I would hate to see you alone and miserable forever," Lydia replied so sweetly, it took a moment to sink in just how insulting she was actually being.

Beth just stared blankly at her, not trusting herself to respond.

"I just think you need a new set of eyes to find you a potential mate. Your judgement of men seems to be completely off, just like with my George here; he turned out to be a wonderful husband!" She flashed a brilliant smile.

 _Seriously? Ok, that's it._

"Actually, I think my judgment of men is pretty good thanks. While I appreciate your _sincere_ offer, I don't think I need any help finding a boyfriend, thank you," Beth finally responded tartly, really wishing she could just lay into her sister, but trying so hard not to leave things between them on a sour note.

"Ha! You're so silly, Beth; so blind to your own faults. I told you, you didn't see how wonderful a man my George is. You even completely missed what a gentleman that Mr. Darcy is!"

 _Why would she bring up Mr. Darcy?_ Beth's eyes narrowed as she knew her sister was purposefully drawing out her pause, waiting for Beth to respond.

"What do you mean? Why would you mention Mr. Darcy?" Beth didn't even care that she was playing into her sister's attention game, she just needed answers.

"Well, just that he was such a wonderful help at the wedding today, making sure everything was squared away at the courthouse and then with our flights; you were completely wrong about him," she said smugly.

Hey everyone! I just realized that it looks like this site blocks outside links so for those who have tried to get to the amazon page, let's try this. Go to amazon dot com/ and then the following:

dp/B01LVWZB56#nav-subnav

You can also just try searching amazon for

First Impressions (Passion and Perseverance Book 1)

Hopefully that helps!

:)


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter 44

 _WHAT?!_

"Why was Mr. Darcy there? I don't understand," Beth asked, shaken to her core. _Did Darcy have something to do with the wedding?_ A million thoughts ran through her head that she didn't even know where to began.

"Darling, we really need to go," George arrive just at that moment and began to pull Lydia forcefully towards the front door, as if he didn't want her to answer.

Beth just stood there dumbly, watching her sister and her new husband leave as the remainder of her family dispersed.

 _Why was Darcy there?_ He hates George. Why would he want to be at his wedding? Why would he be helping at the wedding? _Did he bribe George?_ He wouldn't have; he couldn't have. He had tried that before, George didn't want money, he wanted a job. _Oh God, his new job._

Beth ran upstairs to find her cellphone. _Where did he say he was working again? Chicago. DFW? Nothing. FWD? Bingo._ She began to read the Wikipedia article on the new firm that had offered George such an astonishingly good position.

'FWD & Co. is a multinational professional services firm headquartered in Chicago.'

 _Yeah, yeah what else?_

'FWD has been ranked number one by market share in consulting by Gartner. In 2016, Fortune magazine ranked FWD as one of the 100 Best Companies to work for.'

 _Come on, just tell me who owns it._

 _'_ Founded: 1995. Founder: William Fitz Darcy. Parent Corporation: Fitz Corp.'

 _Oh God._

Beth sank down on the floor by the bed, processing what this meant. Darcy had bribed George to marry Lydia with a job, not at Fitz Corp, but at one of its subsidiaries.

 _Why would he do this? Why would he undermine himself and his morals to offer George a job? Why would he do that to see Lydia?_

She knew the answer to that but she refused to acknowledge it. She couldn't believe he would do this for her after everything that she had done. Beth needed confirmation for all her assumptions and she knew who would tell her.

She got up and rushed back downstairs, finding Charles and Jane in the kitchen about to say goodnight. They looked at her questioningly as she hurried into the room.

Not bothering with pleasantries, she looked at Charles and asked, "Why was Darcy at Lydia's wedding?"

He stared at her for a moment as if he was trying to figure out what to say, how to deny it.

"He was ahh, just making sure that your sister was ok," he responded hesitantly.

"I know that's not the only reason. Don't lie to me, Charles. I know he was there. I know he gave George a job," Beth said, trying, poorly, to hold back her frustration about being kept in the dark.

Even Jane's eyebrows shot up at Beth's accusation. "Charles?" Jane asked, looking at him for answers.

"I'm sorry, Beth. It's just, he made us swear to secrecy," he looked down and hesitated, unsure if he wanted to violate his promise. "But, since it looks like you already know most of what happened, I might as well tell you the rest," he sighed in resignation.

"Why was he there?" she asked again.

"He was the one who found them. I don't know how, but he knows people. It was why I didn't go with your father and Phil, they knew exactly where to go to find Lydia and Darcy was meeting them there."

"Why did he offer George a job?"

"I mean, I think its pretty obvious that George wasn't going to marry Lydia. Darcy got ahold of him and told him that he would hire him into senior management on two conditions: number one, that he marry Lydia today and number two, that they leave the city by the end of the week. That's why the job offer was for Darcy's company in Chicago; he wanted them out of the city, far away from you and his sister." George looked at her with an expression made it clear he was confirming her suspicions.

 _He had done it for her. He'd hired that asshole, engrained him into his business, and all for her._

"That's why Lydia said they were leaving in a day or so and that she didn't want a party, because Darcy forced them to leave…" Beth was thinking out loud.

"It wasn't just Darcy. He would have hired George anywhere to get him to marry Lydia, but your dad was really upset by the whole situation. He didn't want Lydia around to set a bad example for Kat or for George to really feel like he was part of the family," Charles continued, "Lydia doesn't really know that George wasn't going to marry her. She thinks the job was a wedding present from Darcy. If they stayed and lived here though, she would find out because neither Darcy nor your father can stand George. So, your father asked that Darcy give him a job somewhere else where they could visit but where Lydia's happiness wouldn't be jeopardized."

"I see," she said numbly. Trying to process everything that Charles was saying, everything that Darcy had done and sacrificed for her.

 _How could they ever repay him? How could she ever thank him?_

"That is incredible, Charles. So very generous and kind of Mr. Darcy. How will we ever repay him?" Jane took the words right out of her mouth.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that, sweetheart. Darcy didn't do it so that he could be paid back," Charles reassured her. "That's why he made us swear that we wouldn't tell you. He didn't want you to feel guilty or pressured that you owed him for anything. I guess he didn't count on how inconsiderate Lydia is."

"I see." _It was a lie. She didn't see; she didn't see why he would do such a thing for her and her family after she had treated him so poorly._ "Thank you for telling me." She gave Charles a brief smile before looking at Jane, "I think I'm going to head home for the night."

"Well —" Charles began before Jane stayed him with a hand on his arm.

Jane walked over and gave her a hug, saying quietly to her, "I think we're going to tell mom and dad about the engagement tomorrow morning. We want to be able to tell Lydia in person before she moves."

"Oh, ok. I can come over th—"

"No, no. Don't worry about it. I just wanted to let you know that we are telling them and Kat and Mary. Don't argue with me. You've had a long day and I know everything with Darcy is weighing on you. We'll tell them tomorrow and I'm sure mom will call you to tell you all about it; there's no reason for you to be here," Jane assured her wryly.

Beth slumped back into a hug with her sister, knowing that she was right. She couldn't handle any more of her mother's excitement right now.

"Thank you," she said, pulling away from her sister and wiping a tear from her eye.

She walked over to Charles and gave him a hug.

"Congratulations, you are a very lucky man," she said with a smile.

"Don't I know it," his eyes twinkling as he looked past her to Jane.

"Thank you for everything. Welcome to the family and good luck with mom!" she joked, trying to focus on anything but crying.

Beth hugged her sister again before saying goodnight. As she walked down the hall to the front door, she saw her dad sitting in the study by the fireplace, a glass of whiskey on the table next to him. As much as she just wanted to go home, she felt like her dad might need someone sane to talk to tonight, so she knocked quietly on the partially open door. Her dad turned, a smile lighting up his face when he saw who it was.

"Beth! I thought you had gone home by now. Come in. Sit." He looked and sounded exhausted.

"I was just about to leave but I thought I would come sit with you for a few minutes." She leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek before slumping into the other chair in front of the fireplace.

"Do you want some scotch?"

"Oh, scotch! It must have really been a trying day; I thought you were drinking Jameson," she said with a small laugh, "I'm ok though, thanks for the offer."

"Helluva day, huh?" her father said with a sigh.

"Yeah, I can't even imagine what it was like for you," she said sympathetically. "I just don't know what was going through Lydia's head."

"She's immature and selfish. Hopefully, the move and the baby will force her to grow up a little," he replied bluntly, "I'm just glad we were able to get him to marry her. It wasn't looking good there for awhile."

"Yeah, I don't know what she would have done if that had happened," she continued quietly, "I don't know how we can ever thank Mr. Darcy."

Her father turned in his chair to look at her, a little stunned by her comment.

"How did you know?" he asked.

"Lydia made a comment that he was at the courthouse. It didn't take much after that to figure out what had really happened," she admitted, leaving Charles' confirmation out of it.

"What's the matter with that girl.." her father shook his head in frustration. "Well, now that you know; yes, I don't know how we would have accomplished it without him. George certainly would have left her and for all her faults and flaws, she doesn't deserve that. Although I'm not sure that a life with George will be much better, but at least she seems happy."

 _Of course; Lydia would never let on otherwise._

"I hope so, after everything she put us through." On that note, Beth stood up and bent over to give her dad a hug and kiss goodnight, "I'm heading home. I'll talk to you soon."

"Yes, yes. Get a good nights sleep."

"You too."

Beth headed for the door when she heard her dad say her name.

"Beth." He was still facing the fireplace as he continued, "You know he did it for you."

She nodded her head even though she knew he couldn't see her and wasn't expecting a response. She closed the study door as she let another tear slip past her defenses.

When she finally climbed into bed, all she could think was how much she loved him.

 _Completely. Irrevocably. Unequivocally._

She let the tears fall, used to them by now, as she thought about what had happened. Darcy had acquiesced to the demands of the one person he hated, all to save her sister; all for her, he had sacrificed his pride, again. Her heart swelled so much, she thought it would burst with the love she had for him. She knew it wasn't gratitude because her heart had ached like this from the moment she had refused him, even more so after seeing him at his home. Now, it only ached worse because she realized the ramifications of his actions.

True, he had saved her sister's happiness but now, were he ever to propose to her again, how would he know that she wasn't saying 'yes' out of gratitude for what he did? _How would he know that she really wanted to marry him, that she would do anything to be with him, after having so carelessly rejected him?_ Now, she could never approach the subject; she could never tell him that she loved him because it would seem like she was saying out of gratitude, that she owed him for saving Lydia.

That was her last thought as sleep and heartache overcame her: _He will never know how much I truly love him._


	45. Chapter 45

Chapter 45

 _Buzz. Buzz. Buzz._

Beth rolled over, trying to make the noise stop so that she could continue sleeping.

 _Buzz. Buzz. Buzz._

"Hello?" she answer her phone groggily, not even looking to see who it was who called.

"Beth! Your sister is getting married!" her mother screamed at the other end of the line.

"Yes, mom, I know. I'm hanging up now."

"No! Not Lydia. Jane! Jane and Charles are engaged!" her mother exclaimed. Beth wished Jane had told their mom that Beth already knew.

"Yes, wonderful mom. What time is it? I'm still sleeping. I'll call you in a little."

"What? Why aren't you more ex—" her mother's excited scolding cut off as Beth hung up the phone.

She didn't know what time it was but she did know that it was too early and she was too emotionally drained to deal with that. She needed coffee and a shower.

 _Shower first._ Dragging herself from bed, she showered to try and liven herself up. In her groggy stupor, all it did was allow her mind to drift to the memory of when Darcy had showered with her. God, what she wouldn't give for that right now. Her heart was so hurt that she hadn't even acknowledged the physical, sexual ache that she had for him. It was like he had awakened something inside her, something that she had purposely suppressed for so long to focus on her goals that she forgot it existed.

She closed her eyes and imagined that it was his hands instead of the water caressing her body. Washing her hair, she remembered how he tenderly he had massaged her scalp as he performed the task. In spite of his need for control, the tenderness with which he had treated her made her chest tighten.

She turned the shower to cold, shocking her system back to reality. She needed to move on. No matter how much she loved him and wanted to be with him, she couldn't pursue him now without it appearing to be out of gratitude. Turning off the shower, she stepped out and grabbed her towel, roughly drying her body so as to not evoke any other memories of Darcy's caresses.

Checking her phone again she saw that she had missed several texts from Jane earlier this morning, even before her mom called.

 _Hey, I'm on my way over to mom and dad's now to tell everyone. Charles is meeting me there. FYI._

And then:

 _Just told mom and dad. Mom is being mom, prepare yourself for a phone call._

Well she read that a little too late to be helpful. _Knew I should have set an alarm._ Feeling guilty for brushing her mom off so rudely, Beth called her back, steeling herself for the onslaught of excited screeches that were headed her way.

"Beth! I can't believe you hung up on me earlier. That's absolutely no way to treat your mother," Irene began, briefing caging her excitement to scold her daughter.

"Im sor—" Beth tried to interject.

"Now just wait; I'm not done. I'm sorry that I woke you this morning but after everything that has been going on, I wanted to share with you that Jane is engaged. There was no reason for you to hang up on me."

 _Wait for it._

"Can you believe that our Jane is engaged? And Lydia! I just can't believe it!" her mother's switch had been flipped and the offense completely lost amidst her motherly pride.

"Yes, very exciting!" she tried to match her mother's excitement but fell short.

"To think, two daughter married. Well, one married and one going to be married. Oh, I do hope that Jane has a big wedding. We just have so many people that we need to invite. And I'm sure that Charles will have a lot of family and friends coming as well…" Irene rambled on.

 _Here it comes._

 _"_ Oh! Maybe he will have a groomsman or two for you to meet. Yes, I will definitely need to talk to— Jane! You have to make sure that Charles has single groomsmen. For your sister…"

"Mom, seriously? I'm still on the phone," Beth said loudly into the phone, trying to regain her mother's attention. She knew this was coming. Two daughters married wasn't enough. It hadn't even been two hours since she had found out that Jane is engaged and less than twenty-four hours that Lydia is married and she was already trying to set her up with someone.

"I know, honey. But I just want to see you all happily in love and married. Like my darling Jane is going to be. Isn't this just wonderful? Jane and Charles. Your father is so happy; the firm is going to be in such good hands," her mother sighed in contentment.

"Yes, I'm so happy for her. Jane deserves all the happiness in the world," she responded sincerely, "I'm going to go though. I have some work emails to catch up on."

"Oh, ok. Oh, but wait Beth! Wait! Charles wants to have an engagement party next weekend to celebrate!"

 _I'm sure that it was 'Charles' who wanted to have a celebratory party…_

"Ok, when?"

"I think Saturday would probably be best. I don't know where yet, maybe here.." she trailed off before yelling, "Jane! Where should we have your dinner? Maybe it's better to do it out somewhere, this way everyone can see you and your new fiancé together!"

"Mom! I'm still here. Jane can just let me know later this week, it's fine. I'll talk to you later. Bye!" Beth gave up and hung up the phone.

Well she knew all that was coming - her mother's exaggerated excitement, her desire to have the whole world know that two of her daughters were married/to be married. What she wasn't prepared for was being the object of focus again; she'd hoped all the excitement of planning Jane's wedding would distract her mom for some time.

She didn't want to think about meeting any more of Charles' friends; she didn't want to think about Charles' friends, one friend in particular. His friend only spelled heartache for her.

 _Oh, God. He'll be at their wedding,_ she thought as she made herself a cup of tea.

Of course, he would be at their wedding. He'll probably even be in the bridal party. Her heart clenched at the thought of having to walk down the aisle with Darcy as the maid of honor and best man. It was bad enough she saw him at him home, sat with him at his table, the ache for that to be her normal life had been overwhelming and now she was going to have to walk down the aisle with him; it was the very thing she had blatantly refused him and consequently refused herself. _It would be torture._ All she could hope was that Charles and Jane had a long engagement - long enough to allow her to move on. She laughed to herself; the notion of moving on seemed like a joke right now, like the impossible.

She sat down on the couch with her tea and started up her computer. Opening her email, the most recent message caught her eye; it was from Mrs. DeBourgh.

 _What does she want?_

Beth reluctantly opened up the email and read,

 _Miss Bennet,_

 _I see you snuck out the morning after the party before we had a moment to chat. I've just learned that my other house guest, Mr. Darcy, left quite early that morning as well after disappearing for most of the night. Very interesting._

 _I have the most important matter to discuss with you immediately. I've made reservations for tea at the Plaza tomorrow at ten A.M. I will see you there._

 _Mrs. DeBourgh_

Beth had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. Granted, she knew that Anne and Mrs. DeBourgh had been very busy this past week settling all of the winning bids and making sure that the donations made it to their appropriate charities; her assistants had kept her up to date on the press they had been putting out as the donations were made. If she wanted to meet with her about that why wait until now? Now, if she "just" found out that her and Darcy had left around the same time that morning, that would be something that would prompt such a sudden meeting request.

Her mind began to work overtime. What would she say if Mrs. DeBourgh ask about the two of them? Yes, it was a _completely_ inappropriate question or topic to broach with someone that you had hired but Beth knew that that would not stop her. If her mother was obsessed with having her daughters married, Mrs. DeBourgh was just as fixated on having Anne married to Mr. Darcy.

What could she do though? It's not like Mrs. DeBourgh could force Phil to fire her. Even if it meant losing the DeBourgh business, Phil would never fire her; she was certain of that. The woman was very wealthy and knew a lot of people in high places. She might know a lot of Gardiner's other clients and convince them to leave the firm as well. That Beth couldn't let happen; she would quit before becoming the reason that Phil's company failed.

 _I could find a job somewhere else, right?_

She'd built an admirable career, there had to be other firms out there that would want to hire her. It was a matter of finding one that Mrs. DeBourgh wasn't connected with and that she couldn't ruin, which might prove difficult.

 _What if it meant you had to move?_

What if the only way to escape Mrs. DeBourgh's reaches was to move to the west coast, or another country. She wasn't sure she could do it. She loved New York. She loved being close to her family, as much as they annoyed her.

 _Deep breath. Think. Come up with a plan, an excuse._

Ok, first she didn't even know that that was what Mrs. DeBourgh wanted to talk to her about. Maybe Anne knew! Beth grabbed her cell phone and opened up her message with Anne.

 _Hey, quick question. You ok to text?_

The last thing she wanted was Mrs. DeBourgh to see her texting Anne.

 _Hey! Yeah, I'm good. What's up? Also, I heard about Lydia and Jane - congrats!_

 _Thanks! So, your mom wants to meet with me tomorrow morning. She said it was urgent. Do you know what that's about?_

 _Oh man. No, I'm not sure. I'm in LA this week otherwise I would come with her to make sure she behaves, but she hasn't said anything to me. What did she say?_

 _Not a whole lot. Her email insinuated that she knows some information about me and Darcy. Would she even ask me about that?_

 _Yeah, you know she would. Oh man. I don't know what to tell you. Don't give her any more information that you have to. Don't lie to her because she will find out - trust me._

 _Ok, thanks. Let me know if she mentions anything to you before tomorrow._

 _Definitely. Don't let her bully you, Beth._

 _I won't._

She'd really hoped that Anne had an idea of what her mother wanted to talk about, but she had a sinking feeling that it could only be about Darcy. If it had been about the event or any other PR needs, Anne probably would have known. _Just what I need right now._

So what if she had seen them together at the party and that they left at the same time the following morning? She was PR. She was supposed to socialize with the guests, especially ones that she already knew from other events. There was nothing to suggest that something inappropriate was going on between them. _Unless Mrs. DeBourgh was able to read minds._ What if she had cameras in the guest house? _Oh God. Stop. Don't even go there, Beth._ The best way to handle her was to stay calm and first assume that Mrs. DeBourgh wouldn't be so invasive as to question her about her personal life. If she did, all Beth had to do was have a reasonable explanation for whatever Mrs. Debourgh might have heard because there's no way she could know anything incriminating. Now, to run through all those scenarios before morning. _And go…_


	46. Chapter 46

Chapter 46

She really thought that she was going to be much more nervous about this meeting than she was right now, sitting and waiting for Mrs. DeBourgh to arrive. Maybe it was because she'd been thinking about it all night; maybe it was because she'd gone over every possible response to any questions about her and Darcy - from clever lies to the blatant truth, she'd cycled through and rehearsed them all. As she sat though, she still hadn't decided which answer she was going to give. Maybe it was just because after everything that had happened with Darcy, she knew that there wasn't a chance for them to be together anymore which meant that there was nothing for Mrs. DeBourgh to worry about. Maybe all of the nervous apprehension had turned into resignation, knowing that it didn't matter what or how much of a relationship she admitted to having with Darcy, it was over and there was a greater chance of hell freezing over before marriage was ever a word brought up between the two of them again.

Taking another sip of her tea, she had to laugh to herself at her current situation: having to answer to her semi-boss about a man whom said-boss believed was in a relationship with her daughter but now thought was in a relationship with her except that relationship no longer existed even though Beth wished that it did. _Oh, the webs we weave._ Maybe it had nothing to do with that, but she was about to find out. Her phone buzzed with a text from Anne.

 _Good luck!_

She responded, _Thanks!_

When she looked up from her phone, she saw Mrs. DeBourgh walking towards her with an unusually sour look on her face that erased any doubt. _Oh, this was definitely about Darcy._

"Miss Bennet." Her address dripped with displeasure as she sat down. "I'm confident that you are well aware of why I've asked for this meeting."

Beth's eyes widened and her eyebrows raised, partly in surprise at the directness of her statement and partly as a non-verbal response.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. DeBourgh. I can't say that I am. I would assume to go over how Gardiner, and I, met your business needs at the White Party." Beth tried to play it off; she was too smart to come out and give away any more information that was necessary to this woman.

"Miss Bennet," she replied, her tone even more harsh, "I did not get where I am today by letting little nobodies, like yourself, play games with me. So you can play coy all that you want, but my position in the world has afforded me the power to be direct with you, whether you are going to return the courtesy or not is up to you. I'll admit that I was very pleased with the work you and your firm did for me and I was looking forward to pursuing that mutually beneficial relationship permanently. However, it was brought to my attention yesterday that not only is your younger sister Lydia married now and your older sister, Jane, engaged to Charles Bingley, but that you yourself are about to be engaged to Mr. William Darcy, the man _my_ daughter has been planning to marry since she was practically born. Obviously, this cannot true as I'm confident that the ring Mr. Darcy won in the bidding is for Anne. However, I felt that it was my obligation to inform you that there are these rumors being spread around and I would ask you to put an end to them before my daughter gets hurt."

 _Wow, this woman was completely clueless about her daughter._ Beth thought for a moment though, before responding, not wanting to say anything that would get Anne in trouble with her mom - that was between the two of them.

"Mrs. DeBourgh, if you're so confident that it wasn't true, that these rumors are completely unfounded, then I'm sure you don't need to waste your time meeting with me to confirm it," she finally replied, trying to sound as sincere as possible.

"Miss Bennet, just because I'm confident of its outrageous falseness doesn't mean that I'm not going to due my due diligence in having it unequivocally refuted by the very person at the center of it all," she began in a huff. "Don't play games with me, Miss Bennet, I'm in no mood. I'm confident that you know these are the rumors going around, whether you are the one who instigated them or not is immaterial at this point. Now, you will tell me whether there is any foundation to them or not!"

"Mrs. DeBourgh, just because you hired me to do my job, doesn't mean you own me or have a right to any information whatsoever about my personal life." Beth retorted, tired of being pushed around.

"Do not test me, dear. Let me be clear, there can be no truth to these assertions because Mr. Darcy is engaged to _my daughter,_ do you understand?"

"Well, if that's the case, than you can be sure that he wouldn't also propose marriage to me."

Her responses were infuriating Mrs. DeBourgh. The woman's face was beet red and she looked like she was about to reach across the table and strangle Beth right then and there. Beth was kind of enjoying it - putting this woman in her place; she was also slightly concerned about what the consequences of that might be but not enough to let herself be bossed around any more.

"They have been essentially engaged since they were born, even though it might not be official yet and these rumors are an insult to that. Now, are you engaged to Mr. Darcy?"

Beth hesitated, the potential ramifications of her persistent subversive responses weighing on her, and then responded, "No, I am not."

The relief that passed over the older woman's face was palpable.

"And do you swear that you will never agree to marry Mr. Darcy should he, in a state of pure insanity, propose to you?"

"I absolutely will not." _Not that that was ever going to happen again._

"Miss Bennet! Either you make this promise to me or, mark my words, I will destroy you. I will destroy not only your career, but the firm you work for and I will make sure that no company that has any goals of going anywhere looks at hiring you."

"Mrs. DeBourgh, I will _never_ promise that. I'm not going to sit here and let you try to intimidate and insult me and bully me into something so ridiculous and unreasonable. If Mr. Darcy is going to marry Anne then what difference would my promised refusal make? I don't know what impression I've given you as to my character but I'm not a push-over. I don't care what you threaten me with, I will never make such a promise to you; you are talking about my life, my relationships, topics which you have _zero_ right to be concerned in. Now, if that is all, I should get going."

"I don't think so. You need to think very closely about how much damage you are about to subject not just your life, but the lives of your family and friends to. Don't think I don't know that George Wickham knocked up your younger sister and had to be forced to marry her and don't think I won't make sure everyone else knows it. Don't think I won't convince everyone, every business who matters that your father sold Jane off to the highest bidder in order to sell his firm. And last don't think that I won't hesitate to inform Darcy himself that you've been spying on him and feeding me information on him this entire time; what do you think his opinion of you will be then?" She smiled smugly, assuming she had dealt the winning blow.

"Mrs. DeBourgh, I don't think there is anything left for you to possible threaten or insult me with. So, on that note, I'm leaving."

Beth stood up and Mrs. DeBourgh followed suit saying, "So you think he wants to marry you then do you?"

"I never said anything like that. All I said was that I refuse to promise something that may or may not affect my future and my happiness to a complete stranger who has no regard for my wellbeing or wishes."

"Well if that is your final decision, I can see that I've wasted my time expecting you to behave like a reasonable person," she said with disdain. "You only have yourself to blame for the consequences that will follow should anything impede my daughter and Darcy's engagement."

And with that statement, she stalked out of the restaurant and hopefully, out of Beth's life for good. Beth went to reach for her phone and realized how badly she was shaking. Making her way to the ladies room, she splashed some cold water on her face, not knowing how she had found the strength to stand up to Mrs. DeBourgh like that. She needed to talk to Anne but not here, not now. She was too shaken up. A few deep breaths later, she was in an uber and on her way back home, anxious to talk to and warn her friend about what her mother had said.

"Hey, what happened? Are you ok?" Anne immediately answered her call.

"I'm not sure. Your mom asked me about Darcy," Beth began, trying to coherently relay their altercation. "Did you say anything to her?"

"No! I try to bring up Darcy as little as possible around her otherwise she just jumps right to our supposed engagement. What did she say?"

"She said there are rumors that I'm about to be engaged to him and she wanted me to swear to her that I would never do such a thing."

"Are you? Did you?"

"I, ahh, well no. We aren't engaged so at least that was a truthful answer that I gave her. Not that he didn't already ask me though…" she trailed off.

"But you said no?" Even though she asked, Anne didn't seem shocked by her revelation.

"Yeah. You don't seem surprised. Did he tell you already?" She knew that she still shouldn't feel jealous about his and Anne's relationship, but she wanted that same type of closeness with him.

"No, but he asked if we could meet for a late lunch today to talk. He didn't sound good," Anne replied, "I didn't asked specifics but after he asked me to give you that letter and then when you texted me about my mom wanting to talk, and now based on what you just told me I figured something serious had happened between you two."

"Yeah, you could say that."

"Well, I'm always here if you want to talk or want my perspective on Darcy but first I need to know what happened with my mom - did you tell her what I told you about Darcy and I?" The anxiety in Anne's voice was evident.

"No! I wouldn't. So she said there were these rumors and asked if they were true and if I had anything to do with them, to which I first responded that how could they be true if she was so sure that you and Darcy are engaged? It might not have been the best answer but I'm not going to let her bully me and she has no right to my personal information."

"Oh, man. I'm sure she _loved_ that. Did she try to cut your head off right then and there?" Anne joked, lightly.

"I was worried for a minute, but no. So after a few minutes back and forth of that, she threatened my job and Phil's company, at which point I told her, _truthfully,_ that Darcy and I are not engaged."

"As much as I applaud your fortitude, sometimes it's best to tread lightly. She does know a lot of people and have a lot of pull. I don't want to see you get hurt."

"I know, which is why I told her. But then she insisted that I promise that I would never marry him, which I just couldn't do."

"But you already turned him down, which usually means that you don't want to marry the person. So, why wouldn't you promise it? Do you want to marry him?"

"I do, God help me," Beth responded with a groan, "Not that I'll ever have the opportunity to tell him that now, but that's all besides the point. I'm not going to make a promise that could affect my future happiness to someone who has no concern for me or my well-being."

"I see. I mean, you are right. She's crazy when she does these things," Anne agreed. "I'm sure she didn't take that well though either."

"No, definitely not. She threatened me, my job, Gardiner Group, my sisters, my family, basically anyone that she could if I did anything to interfere with your engagement."

"Oh, Beth. I'm so sorry. I wish I could do something but once she has her mind set, that's it; even if I told her that Darcy and I weren't together and weren't ever going to get married, she'd probably just try to find a way to blackmail us into doing it after she destroys you for being the cause," Anne responded, sounding remorseful but helpless.

"I know and I don't want you to get involved. I'm sure she'll be enough to deal with when that day comes. I can handle myself. Plus after everything that's been exchanged between Darcy and I, I might as well have just made that promise to her for the likelihood that he would ever think of proposing to me again." She felt foolish for holding on to that one thread of hope that held her steadfast against acquiescing to Mrs. DeBourgh's demands but she just couldn't seem to shake it.

"Well, you know I'm here for you if you need me. I'll try to be on the lookout for whatever my mom has planned but it seems like she's clever enough to have left me out of it so far."

"Thank you. I can't believe I just did that though; I should probably call Phil and warn him that we're going to be dropped from your account…" Beth began to muse out loud.

"I'm sorry, Beth. I wish there was something I could do. I have to run though but you can give me a call later if you want to talk."

"Ok, thanks."

When they hung up Beth immediately typed up an email to Phil, informing him that Mrs. DeBourgh was likely going to drop them the either today or tomorrow, trying to clarify as best as she could that it wasn't because of the quality of work but for personal reasons that she just couldn't explain to him right now. She told him that she understood if he wanted to let her go, even though she knew that he never would, but she felt like she had to say it since she had lost them a potentially huge client.

As she sent the email, the apartment door opened and Jane and Charles walked in.

"Hey!" she said awkwardly, closing her computer and putting a smile on her face. Walking over, she gave her sister and Charles a hug, wishing them "Congratulations," since she hadn't seen them since the official announcement.

"Hey why are you home so early?" Jane asked.

"I had a meeting this morning for work and then I just decided to come home and finish up some stuff from here. What are you guys up to?" Beth didn't want to dwell on her morning before it became apparent that something not-so-great had happened.

"Gotcha. Well we just stopped here so I could change clothes and then we are going out for dinner and a movie if you want to come!" Jane graciously invited.

"Thanks for the invite but I think I'm going to stay in. I've got a bunch of work to do." That, and the fact that she didn't want to intrude on what was clearly a date night.

"Ok, well then I'm just going to change, I'll be right back." Jane hurried off down the hall leaving Beth and Charles alone.

They stood in awkward silence for a moment. Everything inside Beth begging to ask how Darcy was but knowing that she couldn't be that person right now.

"I'm glad to see Jane, and you, so happy," Beth began, trying to break the silence.

"Yes, she's made me the happiest man, that's for sure," Charles agreed as he looked longingly toward the hallway where his fiancée had just disappeared too. "You know I don't blame Darcy for what happened, right?"

"No, I mean, I don't know," Beth stammered, unprepared for that question to pop up.

"Sorry. I don't mean to put you on the spot. I just didn't get to talk to you after what had happened between Jane and I and so I wanted to clear the air," he began again awkwardly, "Darcy hasn't had the easiest life, contrary to what you might imagine, and how he is, is a direct result of that. One of the biggest things he struggles with is that he is extremely skeptical of everyone, especially someone who is becoming very close to one of his oldest friends. I can't say that I wasn't mad, but I also can't say that his concern wasn't genuine. I don't like how he felt he had to go about it, but I know that ordeal only made what I felt for your sister stronger."

"I, uhh, I —" Before Beth could respond, Jane came jogging back into the room, changed and with a big smile on her face.

"Ok, I'm ready!" she said, excitedly, "Beth, are you sure you don't want to come?"

"Yeah, I'm ok, thanks."

"Ok, I'll be home later." Jane gave her hand a squeeze as her and Charles headed for the door. "Oh! I almost forgot, mom and dad are hosting an engagement party for us on Friday. Charles' parents are coming into town for the weekend to meet me, officially, and celebrate. I'll let you know the details later, but I'm sure mom will text you too!"

"Ok, sounds like fun!" Beth's excitement was forced, but Jane was already too far out the door to notice.

 _The week couldn't go quickly enough._


	47. Chapter 47

Chapter 47

"Beth! Where have you been?" exclaimed Irene in a huff. "The guests will start arriving in _thirty minutes_ and _nothing is ready!"_

Beth rolled her eyes as she closed her parent's front door behind her. It was just about seven-thirty, the party was supposed to be starting at eight and the house looked gorgeous. Her mother had pulled out all the stops for Jane and Charles' engagement party and contrary to her belief, Beth doubted that any guest arriving right now would think to question the readiness of the house; balloons and decorations were everywhere, waiters stood at attention with wine, champagne, and finger food, and that was just in the entryway. Suddenly, she heard music starting to float through the house, a soft jazz that definitely was coming from a live band.

"Seriously, mom? The house looks great! Plus it's just Charles' parents and us," Beth retorted. When she received no response, she suddenly felt that there was a lot going on for a 'meet-the-parents' engagement party and an inexplicable urge to verify her assumptions came over her. "Right, mom?"

"Well, yes, his parents. And a few close friends, you know. We _had_ to invite certain people, especially after Lydia married and left for Chicago without a single party to celebrate," Irene responded.

"Who else is coming?" Beth demanded.

"Oh, just some close friends of ours and close friends of the Bingleys. Bill and Charlotte are coming too."

Beth gave up trying to get any information from her mother. No matter how willing Irene was to spread information on a regular basis, when she wanted to be evasive, not even the Pope himself could get it out of her. Beth made her way upstairs in search of Jane who would know who was going to be here tonight. Although, Beth knew her sister would have forewarned her if there was a chance that Darcy would be here.

"Beth! I thought I heard mom talking to someone, I was hoping it wasn't to herself again," Jane joked as Beth walked into her old room, her face alight with excitement over what the night had in store.

"Yeah, she was upset that it took me so long to get here but the house looks like it's ready and the food is being catered so what could she possibly have to worry about?"

Jane just gave her a knowingly look and smiled in response.

"Who all is coming tonight?" Beth began, then remembered that it was Jane she was asked and went the more direct route, "What I mean is, is Mr. Darcy going to be here?"

"No," She followed her statement with a pregnant pause, "Well, I don't think so."

"What do you mean?"

"Charles invited him. I'm sorry, I should have told you. Well, I was going to tell you but he invited him and Mr. Darcy declined. So, I thought with everything that happened and your whole emotional state that why bother upsetting you by telling you that he's not coming."

 _What is it with all these good intentions gone bad. Deep breaths, Beth. It's fine. He's not coming._

"Are you mad?" Jane asked hesitantly.

"No," she responded on a sigh.

 _She was mad, but only at herself for the irrational elevation in her hopes at the thought of seeing him._ She shook her head at herself, earning her a questioning stare from Jane.

"Sorry. See you were probably right to not tell me, my mind likes to run away with things."

"Oh, Beth. I'm sorry, I wish he wasn't so stubborn. If he loves you, he should be here fighting for you."

"I'm not so sure about that, but thanks. I'm going to head back downstairs before mom freaks out." She turned and left the room, unable to stand the look of heartfelt pity in her sisters eyes any longer.

Back downstairs, her mother was ordering a grumbling Kat and disinterested Mary around frantically. Just as she hit the landing, her mother turned intently toward her.

"Beth! I need—"

She was cut off by the swift knocking at the front door. Beth gave her mom a shrug of her shoulders to say ' _looks like it's time to be done'._

Beth opened the front door to see Charles with who she could only assume were his parents and younger sister. Ushering them inside, the rest of her family materialized out of the woodwork - her dad from his study, Kat and Mary from the back of the house, and Jane from upstairs.

Beth introduced herself before grabbing the nearest glass of champagne and chugging it while everyone else was distracted with introductions and congratulations.

 _It was going to be a long night._

Within the next forty minutes, Beth could only assume that all of the guests had arrived because she didn't think their house could comfortably fit any more people. Char and Bill had arrived a few minutes before and Beth was shocked at how well they seemed to fit together as a couple; she hadn't had much time to talk to them since somehow she'd been left in charge of answering the door.

 _Family engagement party my ass._ Unless family included all of her father's coworkers and their families, her mother's close friends, Phil and his family, the Lucas', and then a whole host of friends of the Bingley's who live in the city that they don't get to see very often.

She'd had her 'Welcome to the party. Thank you for coming' smile plastered on for almost an hour and she didn't think she'd ever get those muscles to relax again. Her only reprieve was the momentary relaxation while sipping from her wine glass, her third one by now, and even that had been bittersweet. She felt like every time she paused to assess the crowd, her eyes kept falling on all of the happy couples around her - Jane and Charles, Char and Bill. She took a deeper drink of her wine hoping to out-burn the ache in her heart.

Relief finally came when she heard her father's voice from the living room, announcing a toast to the happy couple, which drew the guests out of the foyer and away from her. She went to follow the crowd and swayed on her first step.

 _Seriously?! You need a break before you make a fool of yourself. Go sit down._

Taking a deep breath and listening to her inner, sober self, she discreetly made her way over to her dad's study which had been closed off from the party. She felt bad not being there for Jane right now, but her sister knew, even if it was only party, of what she was going through right now; _Jane would forgive her._ Shutting the door behind her, she trudged over to the armchair in front of the gas fireplace and flipped the switch on. The bright flames, the only thing lighting the room, flickered as she let herself stare into them, entranced in the blaze, as her mind went blank and her senses tuned out all the commotion going on around her.

Hours passed. Or maybe it was just minutes. The fire (and probably the alcohol) had hypnotized her tumultuous thoughts, bringing a blessed calm over her mind as she sat. Her daze broken as a shiver ran up her spine in spite of how warm she felt. Remembering where she was and more importantly, where she was supposed to be, she stood up taking one last longing gaze at the hearth and wishing she didn't have to go back and join the crowd. She began to turn slowly away from the fire, her glazed eyes moving slowly across the room. Her movements faltered and stopped short as she realized that she wasn't alone.

 _Darcy._


	48. Chapter 48

They just stared at each other for a moment. Beth drank in the sight of him: a Greek God disguised as a businessman. His suit and tie a perfect fit; his hair perfectly modeled; the warm firelight reflecting over his handsome features. It was only the look of uncertainty in his eyes that marred his ideal image, that convinced her that he was actually standing there and not just a figment of her imagination. For the first time, he looked like he didn't know what to say, instead of intentionally not saying anything.

The alcohol emboldened her as she took a step towards him.

"Mr. Darcy," she began, her voice only catching a little.

"Beth." The longing in his voice was unmistakable as he moved towards her hesitantly.

She put her hand up, which halted him in his tracks, despair shadowing his face.

"I want to thank you," she blurted out, needing him to hear this before anything happened between them. "I know that no one is supposed to know and I can and will respect you wishes but I have to tell you that you have my and my family's deepest gratitude for what you did for Lydia." She wouldn't pretend like she didn't know about the sacrifice he had made, even though he hadn't wanted her to.

He was taken aback by her comment, relief and confusion showing in his eyes. "Who told you?"

"Lydia let it slip to me that you were there and then I figured the rest out on my own," she admitted.

"I see." Momentary displeasure crossed his face when he heard how careless her sister had been.

"I'm sorry," she forged on, "I know you didn't want me to know, but knowing what I do now about George and everything that he's put you though, I had to say something. I don't know what would have happened to Lydia, what she would have done if George had left her or where my mom would be if you hadn't found them - Lydia is her baby. I just," she paused, "I just can't imagine what possessed you to do such a kindness for us but thank you." She fought back the tears that threatened to fall at just the thought of what her family had gone through and the relief that had come once Darcy had intervened.

"Of course. You aren't a fool, Beth; you have to know that I did it only for you," he said. Frustrated by her attempt to ignore what she clearly knew to be true, he ran a hand through his hair, destroying it's perfect placement.

"I know," she admitted softly, embarrassed to say anything more as a tear finally escaping down her cheek. "I'm sorry. I should let you get back to the party. Charles and Jane will be glad to see that you were able to make it tonight after all."

She tried to walk past him swiftly but he reached out and stopped her.

"Wait, please," he said desperately, "I need to know why you wouldn't do it."

"Do what?" Beth responded confused.

"Why wouldn't you promise Anne's mother that there was nothing between us? That there would never be anything between us?" She felt his rich, chocolate eyes were staring right into her soul.

"I just couldn't," she said honestly. "Not that it would have been a lie at this point but I couldn't, wouldn't willingly extinguish my last shred of hope."

"Hope?" Beth missed how that exact sentiment was echoed in his response as she was too wrapped up in what she had just admitted to him.

"Yes," she let out a small laugh, "You were wrong, Mr. Darcy. You see, I am a fool." She mocked herself as another tear slipped from her eyes.

Before she could move, his hand was cupping her cheek, his thumb wiping away the rogue tear.

"Beth, do you still feel the same way about me? Do you still see no possibility of a future between us? Because if you do, tell me now and I will walk away from your life for good," his tone harsh, which she knew by now meant that he was fighting himself for control.

"I love you." It was the only thing that she could say, her throat think with emotion. She'd held her feelings hostage before to force his hand, but no more. Any future between them couldn't be fueled by the need for control. "But how can you believe me now? After everything that has happened. How can it look like anything other than my gratitude for what you've done for Lydia and my family?" she said despairingly, trying to turn her face away.

He grasped her chin and forced her eyes back to his, " If you tell me that it's the truth then that is what I will believe."

"I truly love you, Darcy."

His mouth crushed hers and she relished and reciprocated his passion, grabbing onto his shirt, trying to pull him closer. He kissed her, teased her mouth and her senses, until she felt drunker on desire than she did from the wine.

He pulled his mouth from hers and she whimpered at the loss. Resting his forehead against hers, they took several breaths to steady themselves.

"Beth," he began hesitantly, "I'm not perfect. My need to control everything, including myself, is an addiction; one that I've fed for a long time; one that has been engrained in me by my past and when I feel like I'm losing that control, there's an anger in me that is unquenchable."

She felt a chill pass through him just before he let go of her at the mention of his past; whatever happened clearly tormented him still.

"I know how I appear to the world but I'm pretty fucked up on the inside. I don't know how to treat you the way you deserve," he laughed harshly at himself, "Just look at how I took your virginity. I'm a fucking monster."

"William," Beth interrupted him, his name whispered on her lips. It was the first time she'd called him by his first name and the event cut off his self-denigrating train of though.

"It's ok." This time it was she who reached up and cupped his face, forcing him to see the truth in her eyes.

"It's not, Beth, and you shouldn't be ok with it," he said softly, "I still want to be with you, but I don't know if I can change, if I can be the man that you deserve."

"No one is perfect, certainly not me either," she said with a small smile, "But I love you and want to be with you and that's what matters."

"Beth, I would love nothing more than to marry you right now, but I can't do that to you. I can't knowingly commit you to a relationship with me when you don't know me; you don't know how I can be; you don't know what I've done. It's not right and I certainly haven't done the right thing by you to now, but I refuse to selfishly let that continue." The anguish in his voice was palpable.

"It doesn't matter, whatever it —"

"No, it does matter because you matter. You need to know all of me; you need to know what you are getting in to." He was determined. "I want you to move in with me for three months. I want to try to make us…make me… work. I need time with you, to let you in. I haven't done that in a long time and the last time, well, it was the last time for a reason."

"What happens at the end of three months?"

"You decide whether you want to marry me or not," he said matter-of-factly.

"But I know now that I want to marry you, nothing will change that," she insisted.

"You don't know that, Beth."

"What if you don't want to marry me at the end of three months?"

"That's not going to happen."

"How come you get to say that and I don't?"

"Because," he began frustratedly, but then, realizing that she had a point, continued more calmly, "Fine, intolerable woman. At the end of three months we will both decide if this is something that we still want."

"Please, you are _the_ Mr. Intolerable," she replied with a twinkle in her eye.

"Oh, you have no idea." His response part humor but with a hint of ashamed seriousness that Beth didn't miss.

She reached up and softly touched her lips to his, a gentle seal to their promise. He groaned in response before pulling her to him and taking her mouth ravenously. A loud popping noise coming from outside the study startled them from the kiss. Both had forgotten about the celebration going on around them.

"We should get back to the party," Beth said breathlessly, wishing she didn't feel obligated to suggest it.

"No. We're leaving," Darcy informed her. "Now that you're mine for the foreseeable future, I'm taking full advantage of you. Now."

Beth raised her eyebrows at his demanding tone.

"Sorry. Please can we leave now?" He asked softly as he leaned in to plant kisses all along her jawbone. "I promise to make it worth your while," he whispered in her ear.

"Fine!" she laughed, even as the searing heat of desire burned through her body at his words. He began to kiss her again, "You are intolerable! Let's go!" she acquiesced.

"I keep trying to tell you that your first impression of me was correct," he said jokingly.

"And I keep trying to tell you that there's a reason for second chances," she retorted as they quickly and quietly made their way out of the house and into the future.

For a brief moment, a myriad of doubts crossed her mind - what would her family think? What was Mrs. DeBourgh going to do when she found out? She shook the thoughts from her head. _Worry about that tomorrow._ For tonight, she would enjoy her second chance at a happy ending.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading! Beth and Darcy's story and struggles over the next 3 months will continue in the second book of the _Passion and Perseverance_ series - _Second Chances,_ for which a teaser will be posted tomorrow! **

**I just wanted to say thank you again to everyone who read the story and left me feedback, it made the past 3 months of writing well worth it. If you really enjoyed the book and have left me encouraging praise previously, I would be grateful beyond words if you would search it up in Amazon:**

 **First Impressions (Passion and Perseverance, Book 1) \- and leave a review there. As much as I appreciate your feedback, so do others who are looking for the next great book to read :)**

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 **If you have any questions/comments/suggestions...or just want to say hi, feel free to personally message me or email me at** **drrebeccasharp at gmail dot com. (** **Sorry FanFic doesn't let me post links or emails.)**


	49. What did you think?

***** THANK YOU *****

Beth and Darcy's story continues with Second Chances, posted in full on this site - just check out my author page to find it!

Thank you for reading my book! It took me almost 4 months to write it and I love hearing your feedback. Did you enjoy the story? I would be so appreciative if you could take just a few moments of your time to review this book on Goodreads or on Amazon. Just search for the title (First Impressions Dr. Rebecca Sharp) and rate the story and/or leave a review. It would mean the world to me! Do you have thoughts or suggestions? Still review the book! And then feel free to private message me!

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